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Maine CD1 candidates appear in NEWS CENTER Maine forum

On many issues and particularly Trump administration policies, Maine's CD1 candidates veer apart from each other. That was certainly clear during Monday night's NEWS CENTER Maine CD1 candidate forum.

PORTLAND (NEWS CENTER Maine) –

On paper, there are a few similarities between the candidates running for Maine first congressional district seat.

All of the candidates in Maine’s CD1 race have lived in Maine for decades or their entire lives.

Democratic Congresswoman Chellie Pingree, Republican Dr. Mark Holbrook and independent Marty Grohman have all run for office before.

They’ve also all spent time as young people on farms and they all operate a small business of some kind.

However, on many issues and particularly Trump administration policies, the candidates veer apart from each other.

That was certainly clear during Monday night’s NEWS CENTER Maine CD1 candidate forum.

When asked what the President has done well the candidates answered this way:

Rep. Pingree: “He certainly has been able to move legislation through Congress.”

Marty Grohman: “Taking on the corporate tax rate is a really important thing.”

Dr. Holbrook: “You’ve given me a Whitman’s sampler, it’s all good.”

When asked what the President’s worst in-office mistake was, some candidates responded less directly:

Rep. Pingree: “His worst mistake is not putting down his Twitter… and communicating things that are hideous and inappropriate for a President.”

Marty Grohman: “When we’re focused on the economy, that’s what we need to be doing.”

Dr. Holbrook did not criticize the President and instead praised his foreign policy actions including President Trump’s work with North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un.

The candidates discussed immigration reform, the Affordable Care Act and climate change during the forum.

One of the longer exchanges where differing views were made clear was on trade.

Congresswoman Pingree said she thinks President Trump is not competent on trade because of tariffs he's imposed that hurt Mainers.

She was challenged by Grohman who said lawmakers should be working together on trade issues and Pingree fired back.

“Aren't you going to have to be someone who can bring people together if you want to take that on?” said Grohman.

“I think there are Republicans and Democrats who agree on this and this is not a partisan issue,” Pingree responded.

While Pingree is anti-tariff and Grohman would later reveal he doesn't think the president's tariffs have helped either, Dr. Holbrook defended the President and his ability to regulate trade.

“Why would you take that negotiating tool away from the president?” he asked Pingree. “Let the man do his job. He is using these tariffs as a way to negotiate with these countries who have taken advantage of the American worker for decades. It's the first time we've had a president in fifty years who's standing up for the American worker.”

“I'm not sure he's competent to have an end game,” said Pingree. “I haven't seen it.”

Grohman answered: “I think there's a difference between somebody standing up for the American worker and someone putting these punitive tariffs in place that are actually hurting the American worker.”

This moment during the forum sums up the decision voters will likely face in roughly two weeks when casting ballots in the CD1 race.

They must choose between a Democrat strongly opposed to the President, an independent who agrees with some of his policies or a Republican who supports President Trump “one hundred percent.”

The voters' decisions could play a part in deciding which party controls the house come January and how the President's agenda will progress.

If you wish to view the full debate -- it's available on our website and social media platforms.

The midterm elections are two weeks from Tuesday on November 6th.

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