Four credit union volunteers won re-election to the Maine State Legislature, according to a Thursday release from the Maine Credit Union League.
Rep. Michel Lajoie (D-Lewiston), chairman at the $19 million Lewiston Municipal FCU; Rep. Ken Fredette (R-Newport), director at the $76 million Sebasticook Valley FCU; Rep. Jeffrey Gifford (R-Lincoln), director at the $46 million Lincoln Maine FCU; and Rep. Ray Wallace (R-Dexter), a member of supervisory committee at the $87 million Maine Highlands FCU, were successfully re-elected.
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However, Maine credit unions didn't pick up a net gain in the 2012 state elections. Two credit union board members lost their seats in the Maine House: Rep. Herb Clark, vice chair at $69 million Katahdin FCU and who was termed out of the House, was unsuccessful in his campaign to win a seat in the Maine Senate; and Rep. John Picchiotti, chair at the $45.5 million KSW FCU, lost a close re-election bid by just a few hundred votes.
All three federal candidates endorsed by the Maine league won their races, including Senate-elect Angus King Jr. (I), who will replace retiring Sen. Olympia Snowe (D); and Democrat Reps. Mike Michaud and Chellie Pingree.
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The league endorsed all three candidates last spring and said it was actively involved in their campaigns, including coordinating volunteers, credit union visits, hosting fundraisers and contributing CULAC funds to their races. In the Maine Senate, of the 28 races the League endorsed, it achieved a 68% success rate. The Maine league won 56 of 71 endorsed races in the state House for a 79% winning percentage.
"The Maine Legislature has once again undergone significant changes with the Democrats retaking control of both the House and the Senate. Because of our ongoing commitment to being a bi-partisan organization that supports nearly an equal number of Republicans and Democrats, as well as a few independents, the league and Maine's credit unions are in a strong position when the 126th Maine Legislature convenes in January," said league President John Murphy. The Maine league will be host six legislative breakfasts in each region of the state for legislators and credit unions to attend over the next month.
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