Martin takes on Martin in Senate District 35 race

A Martin will represent Senate District 35 next session.

Voters will decide Nov. 2 if that will be incumbent Democrat John L. Martin of Eagle Lake or Republican newcomer Cathy Martin of Caribou.

Both candidates have been beating the bush to garner support. They’ve met in one debate at the University of Maine at Fort Kent and will meet again tonight at the Caribou Senior Citizens Center.

While Cathy Martin’s family name is Bouchard, it will not be on the ballot, even if it is in all her publicity materials. Her name will be first on the ballot.

Cathy Martin is co-owner of Martin Farms in Caribou, teaches in Caribou’s Adult Education program, is a tourism coordinator and was executive director of the Fort Fairfield Chamber of Commerce for one year. She earned a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from Husson College in business administration.

John Martin, besides being a politician, is an assistant professor at UMFK and taught at Community High School in Fort Kent during his early career. He’s a graduate of the University of Maine. He’s very involved in his native Eagle Lake affairs, including being treasurer of several local agencies, and is president of Ambulance Service Inc., which serves most of the western St. John Valley.

Cathy Martin, called Cathy Bouchard Martin in her publicity, said Wednesday she has been contemplating a move into state elective politics for a long time. She decided to take on John Martin because she feels District 35 needs a new voice.

John Martin is seeking a third term in the Maine Senate after 14 terms in the Maine House of Representatives. He’s running again because, he said, the next two years will be the worst ever in Augusta and veterans are needed to solve the problems of taxes, education reform, and the expected half a billion shortfall in the budget.

“Maine is in the worst situation ever,” she said. “We are a very unfriendly state for business, and business won’t come here.

“I’m very displeased with the present administration, John Martin included,” she said. “People in the district never had a real choice before.

“I’m doing what I have always done, talking with people to go back to Augusta,” John Martin said. “Being a veteran in Augusta makes a lot of difference.

“It takes time for new people to learn the ropes,” he said. “I know issues, I know everyone, I know the process and rules, and the experience I have has and will be helpful.”

Cathy Martin describes herself as a people person, one who has experience in small business, and a person who can work in a bipartisan atmosphere. She’s concerned about prescription drug and health care costs, highways and property taxes. State budget problems, health care and tax reform are her worries. A Democrat most of her life, she changed to the Republican side two years ago. She said people can expect common sense and an open door from her. People from throughout the district have welcomed her, she said, and she’s confident people will vote for her.

John Martin has been in Augusta since 1964, except for two years. He plans to run for the presidency of the Maine Senate in the next session. He was speaker of the Maine House of Representatives for 10 terms. Besides his campaign, he said he is busy helping other Democrats win their elections so he will have support for the office.

Both Martins have been busy doing door-to-door campaigning, and northern Aroostook County’s highways are filled with their signs.

John Martin’s ads remind people to vote for the second Martin on the ballot. He said being second on the ballot means a loss of votes, especially when both have the same last name.

Cathy Martin uses her maiden name, Bouchard, in her campaign to attract French voters. Her printed ads are bilingual.

District 35, like most districts, has changed. The district, which includes most of the tip of northern Maine, is only one of two Senate district seats left in Aroostook County.

District 35 includes Garfield, Portage Lake, Castle Hill, Mapleton, Wade, Washburn, Perham, Westmanland, New Sweden, Stockholm, Caribou, Connor Township, Limestone, Caswell, Hamlin, Cyr Plantation, Van Buren, Grand Isle, Madawaska, St. Agatha, Frenchville, Fort Kent, St. John, St. Francis, Allagash, Eagle Lake, Winterville Plantation and a large tract of unorganized territory in northwestern Maine.