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State lawmaker responds to criticism for attending anti-vax rally after wife reportedly died of COVID-19

Republican Rep. Chris Johansen confirmed he and his wife had COVID-19 last month. She passed away just weeks later.

AUGUSTA, Maine — A lawmaker, under fire for attending an anti-vax mandate rally after his wife reportedly died from COVID-19, has a message for his "haters."

Republican State Representative Chris Johansen took to Facebook over the weekend to say he has "a hard time understanding these haters" and even called on them to confront him at his home.

A spokesperson for House Republicans confirmed last week his wife, Cindy, died, but would not share specifics.

According to the website for Downeast Direct Cremation Cindy Johansen died on Aug. 11. 

A reporter for the alternative news site Mainer tweeted a photo of Rep. Johansen at a Republican-led rally opposing Gov. Mills' new vaccine mandate for health care workers on Aug. 17.  

After receiving fierce criticism on social media, Johansen wrote his wife was "reluctant" to get the vaccine because of what he called "conflicting information."

"To the haters out there have none of you seen my picture at the capital on Jan. 6th," he wrote. "You are a pretty tame bunch, I was sure you could hate me for many more reasons if you really knew me. so check the video, if you know what your looking for I'm not hard to find."

I have a hard time understanding these haters. My address is public if you really want to hurt me come here and...

Posted by Chris Johansen on Saturday, August 21, 2021

RELATED: State lawmaker who downplayed virus, mocked vaccines contracts COVID-19

In several public Facebook posts, Rep. Johansen and his wife detailed their sickness over the last month after both contracting the virus, including that she was battling complications with asthma.

Johansen helped organize rallies urging for Gov. Mills to 'reopen' the state during the pandemic, and was among several lawmakers who ignored the statehouse mask policy earlier this year.. 

Cindy Johansen was an officer for the Aroostook County Republican committee.

In one of her last posts on July 21, she wrote "It's absolutely horrible to be alone."

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