Two newcomers eye Senate District 23 seat

BELFAST – Two newcomers to the Democratic Party electoral process will square off in the June 10 primary to be the party’s nominee to challenge incumbent Sen. Carol Weston, R-Montville, to represent Waldo County in Maine Senate District 23.

The primary marks the first time that Joseph H. Greenier, 53, of Stockton Springs and Diane H. Messer, 54, of Liberty have run for public office. Both candidates say there needs to be change in Augusta and that Weston is a symbol of all that is troubling in state politics. While Messer said the Senate minority leader was too partisan, Greenier questioned her commitment to demanding ethical behavior from state government.

“I’m running because things need to be straightened out. I want to go back to the old basic rule of thumb. When you give your word, it used to be your bond; we don’t do that anymore,” Greenier said. “What I want to do is give hope to the people that we can do a better job. Our senator should not get a free ride. She needs to do a better job for the county.”

Greenier, a disabled paperworker who said he was “fired for invoking my rights,” claimed that Weston reneged on a promise to hold elected officials to greater ethical standards. He said he had been fighting with state agencies to no avail for years over workers’ compensation issues and the plight of injured workers.

Messer, a retired Army helicopter pilot who now works as an environmental planner, said she was running because Waldo County needed better representation in Augusta. She said Weston had failed to represent the majority of her constituents.

“She’s very partisan to the nth degree,” Messer said of Weston. “Every Democrat I have spoken to that has asked for help has received nothing. If they are a Democrat, they get no response from her.”

Messer said the state needed to address pressing economic issues and begin looking out for itself because the federal government was incapable of lending a hand. She added that the state has to wean itself from oil and tap into energy created by solar and wind power and biofuels. She said it was time for Maine to stand on its own and take a different approach to economic and environmental concerns.

“We have to take care of our own economic and environmental concerns. We have to bring green jobs and green industries into the state and promote renewable and sustainable energy,” she said. “Obviously, the state can’t solve all the problems being generated by the federal government. Our country is bankrupt and it’s no surprise that Maine and every other state is affected.”

Greenier said that during his campaign swings across the district he is constantly being told that state government has failed to respond to the voters’ needs. He said it was time for change in Augusta from top to bottom.

“I don’t like to speak badly about people, but if they’re not doing the job of the people they shouldn’t be there,” he said. “We can’t stand another two years, four years or six years with no representation in this county in the state Senate.”

Greenier has refused to debate Messer and said his view of her was similar to his view of Weston.

“I don’t have faith in either one of them. What we have to do is focus on one thing: that is the people of this county. If there was a sense of either one of them being right, I would not be running to do their job.”

Messer said she intended to work with all the residents of the county and would schedule regular information sessions in the towns during her term of service. She said state government needed to look at things differently and treat people with respect.

“People are eager for a change. People are not happy with the representation they are getting. I intend to be the voice of the people and will respond to all requests,” she said. “It will be transparent and I will give it my best effort to satisfy everybody’s concerns and needs.”

wgriffin@bangordailynews.net

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