Maine Democrats pick up seats in the state legislature

AUGUSTA, Maine (WMTW) - The blue wave we saw across the country last week is also happening in the Maine Legislature. Democrats not only keeping their majority, but flipping close to two dozen seats blue.

“Democrats still need our votes to do anything that requires a two-thirds vote, such as amending the constitution, passing a two year state budget,” Rep. Ken Fredette, R-Newport, said.

Fredette is the new House Republican leader and he said he’s hopeful Governor-Elect Hannah Pingree works with the Republicans and Democrats on budgets, but also on an issue that will impact many Mainers very soon, heating oil.

“I think we need to really look at how Maine people are going to be affording higher heating costs,” he said. “And how is it that we, as the legislature and or the governor might be able to work on something.”

According to the Associated Press, the balance of power in the Maine House of Representatives is 86 Democrats, 60 Republicans, 3 unenrolled and 2 races have not yet been called.

In the Senate, 23 Democrats, 11 Republicans and 1 race not called.

Democrats in the Senate now have a “supermajority”, meaning they have two-thirds of the members, giving them veto power.

“This was made possible by the folks that we have running for office,” Maine Senate President Mattie Daughtry, D-Brunswick, said.

She added that she hopes to work across the aisle with Republicans to pass bipartisan legislation, agreeing with Fredette that the cost of heating oil is something the legislature needs to work on right away.

She’s also taking a moment to recognize the historic nature of this incoming state senate.

“We’re going to have the largest amount of women serving in the state Senate in Maine’s history. That’s a big deal. That type of representation matters,” she said.

The next legislature will be sworn in on Dec. 2.