Former Secretary of State Matt Dunlap is making his pitch to voters to replace Congressman Jared Golden next year.
At a town hall in Bangor yesterday, Dunlap said under President Donald Trump, the first priority for Democrats is to prevent further attacks on the federal government and "stop the bleeding."
When it comes to restoring federal programs, Dunlap said it will be a time-consuming project, that requires thoughtful work with the public.
"But have those conversations and have them honestly, and rebuild these programs in ways that people can accept and embrace and find legitimate," he said. "So you do have to listen to both sides on that. We need to. We need to stop talking past each other and with each other."
A former state legislator and currently the state's auditor, Dunlap said he's not afraid to work across the aisle but will stand on his values when it comes time to vote.
"One thing I will not have in my arsenal is a weather van, to see which way the wind blows before I vote on something," he said. "There are times that you just have to take a stand at all hazards, and I've been able to survive that so far, and I'm confident that I can in the future."
Dunlap launched his campaign in October, challenging Golden in the Democratic primary for Maine's 2nd District seat. But Golden announced last month that he will not seek reelection.
Former Governor Paul LePage, a Republican, is also running for the seat.
