A Waldoboro resident and business owner is exploring the possibility of a run for the state Legislature in the November election.
Dana Dow, president of Dow Furniture in Waldoboro, said he is looking into entering the election for Senate District 13 or House District 91.
Senate District 13 includes all of Lincoln County except Dresden, plus Washington and Windsor. House District 91 includes Friendship, part of Union, Waldoboro, and Washington.
Sen. Chris Johnson, D-Somerville, represents Senate District 13. Jeff Evangelos I-Friendship represents House District 91.
Though Dow said he has not made up his mind yet on whether he will run for office, he believes he can bring a calming influence to the partisan climate in Augusta.
“I have had a lot of people ask me to run for office again. I think I have the ability to work calmly with both sides to get things done,” Dow said.
Dow, who served two terms in the state Senate from 2004 to 2008 and one term in the state House of Representatives from 2010 to 2012, said he would run as a Republican if he enters either race.
The prospective candidate said he believes the Legislature needs to place more emphasis on business in the state of Maine.
“In order to do anything we need to improve our state’s economy. We need to maximize our economy and get people to work,” Dow said.
According to Dow, another issue important to him is continuing work on implementing a 2004 referendum on school funding.
The 2004 vote calls for the state to fund 55 percent of the cost of public education and 100 percent of the cost of public special education for grades K to 12, but the state has never met those levels.
Dow, a former teacher, said education is another important issue facing the state’s senators and representatives.
“It’s important to make sure we fund schools adequately,” Dow said.
Dow said he would make up his mind on whether he will run and in which election by the end of the month.
