Tim Theriault, R-China, looks for his fourth and final consecutive term representing District 79 in this year’s general election.

Democratic challenger Lindsey Harwath stands in the way to represent Albion, part of Benton, China and Unity Township.

Tim Theriault

Name: Tim Theriault

Age: 62

Party: Republican

Education: Kennebec Valley Technical College

Lindsey Harwath

Name: Lindsey Harwath

Age: 36

Party: Democrat

Education: Bachelor of Arts in criminology/criminal justice and communication & performance

The 62-year-old Theriault, chief of the China Village Fire Department, put why he is running in simple terms.

“To make Maine better, stronger,” he said.

Theriault hopes to ease the burden of the coronavirus pandemic on the state’s most vulnerable citizens. A member of the Inland Fisheries & Wildlife Committee, Theriault is concerned about future budget shortfalls related to the pandemic.

“We will need to work together to make tough choices,” Theriault said. “We need … (to) oppose new taxes on working families and small businesses.”

Harwath, 36, is running for political office for the first time. The South China resident is a goat herder by trade, and her top priorities are climate change, racial and social justice, education, and healthcare justice.

“I am running to shift power back into the hands of the people and empower every citizen to live without fear, to release families from the bonds of wage-slavery and crushing debt without any sign of equity, and to be the diligent fighter for my community that we are sorely lacking, because a representative who doesn’t show up and won’t fight for you is no representative at all,” Harwath said.

Harwath wants to see consumer-owned utilities in the state. She said this would increase state revenues without raising taxes and also be a step toward transitioning to more electric transportation and heating across the state. She also is concerned about state funding for schools. She hopes to see a younger and more diverse population embracing homes in Maine.

“Another step in ensuring a healthy society is making sure that all individuals have equal access to high-quality health care despite their ability to pay,” Harwath said. “A crucial step in that effort is unlinking health care from employment. Not only does this improve health, it empowers workers to move from job to job, field to field, without fear.”