MAINE, USA — Democrat David Costello, a native of Old Town, is campaigning for a seat in the U.S. Senate, bringing with him 25 years of government experience. But his political journey began decades ago, when an early opportunity sparked his career.
After joining former Massachusetts Sen. Ted Kennedy on the campaign trail in 1980, what followed was several senior-level roles including as deputy and acting secretary of Maryland's Department of Environment.
"I believe that upbringing and that broad range of senior-level experience makes me uniquely qualified, quite frankly," Costello shared.
Costello is currently running against independents Angus King and Jason Cherry alongside Republican Demi Kouzounas.
One of Costello's top priorities is addressing climate change. He supports current incentive programs but argues that it's crucial to take more aggressive action, including implementing a price on carbon emissions.
"We need to also start looking at how to draw down, because we've already exceeded where we need to be to avoid some of the worst impacts," he said.
Costello is also focused on retirement security for older Mainers. He proposes raising the payroll tax cap and creating a sovereign wealth fund to ensure long-term financial stability for seniors.
"We are one of the wealthiest countries in the world, and we should guarantee retirement for all seniors," he emphasized.
To fund these programs and balance the federal budget, Costello advocates for rolling back recent tax cuts on wealthy corporations. With the additional revenue, he wants to create more opportunities for Americans to invest in themselves, whether through financial means or educational advancements.
"We've got a wealth gap in the United States that we need to address, quite frankly," he said.
Growing up in Old Town, Costello learned firsthand about the importance of gun safety. He says he supports implementing "common sense" gun laws, including red flag laws, a ban on assault weapons, and universal background checks.
"Nothing has been proposed that would have taken away my ability to hunt and shoot as a boy growing up in Maine," he noted.
But Costello's strongest passion is advocating for progress and reform in Washington D.C. He says while "reaching across the aisle" may be good for public relations and electioneering, it has lead to empty promises.
"Many people would say Washington is broken. But I'm really the only candidate that has put forward a reform agenda that would really break the deadlock," he explained.
Election Day is set for Nov. 5 this year.