This blog should be retired

It's from a few years ago -- when I was a candidate for the Maine House of Representatives in 2008. I didn't win, and I also didn't win when I ran again in 2010.

Then, something far more sad and serious than losing a race for an elected office happened. The day after I lost in early November 2010, my husband -- who had been my biggest supporter in the campaign -- told me he wasn't feeling well. He hadn't felt well for weeks, he said, but he didn't want anything to interrupt my campaign focus and intensity.

Two weeks later, we learned he had pancreatic cancer. Then came 14 months of doing everything that a husband and wife do, who have been unfortunate enough to live with cancer. He was the patient, I was the caregiver. We went forward for 14 months, making it the best 14 months of our 10 years together. He died on January 17, 2012, at the VA Hospice Unit at Togus Veterans Hospital in Augusta, Maine.

Barely two months after Frank's death, I have started a new blog -- Widows to Windows. That's how you can follow my new life, now. Everything has changed, for better or for worse. I've had the worst of it, and now I'm working on a better life.

Destination: Dixville Notch

Lucky us. Three days after my election loss, Frank and I decided to leave town and head for places where we had not been before.

Appropriately, we chose Dixville Notch, New Hampshire -- home of the midnight vote, first in the country every four years to disclose its presidential inclinations. We spent a weekend away, first in New Hampshire and then in Vermont. Can't think of a better way to shake off the disappointment of losing.

The draw was the Ballot Room at the Balsams, the grand old resort most famous (besides its culinary school) as the site of the Ballot Room. That's where the 21 voting-age residents of unincorporated Dixville Notch gather each Election Day -- and it gets plenty of national coverage every four years.

With our curiosity satisfied, we crossed the state line again, this time into Vermont. Montpelier, Burlington, Rutland and White River Junction were our destinations. Home by Sunday evening -- but I can't say that I've shaken off my disappointment. If only I had knocked on more doors ... :-)

Defeated

Okay, so it's over. I lost. He got 2,093 votes, and I got 1,914 votes.

Admittedly, I am disappointed. I thought for sure I would win, naive newcomer that I was. But I came damn close, just 179 votes short. I was a first-time candidate, vying for an open seat against a career state trooper with a spotless reputation and 40 years in Washington County, a place where Republicans have the edge.

Guess I don't get to drive around with those blue license plates that only state legislators get.

Two phone calls today -

What a delightful call I got today - from an 89-year-old woman in Machiasport who told me she had voted for me this morning.

Even better was the afternoon's call, from a 67-year-old Machiasport woman who said that both she and her husband had voted for me, "so you can stop sending us all that mail now."

Letter to the Editor -

This week's Machias Valley News Observer - one of the four local weekly papers in Washington County - carries a letter to the editor supporting me, from Carmen Flowers of Lubec. This is how it reads:

Katherine Cassidy, running for state legislator in District 32, has my
vote, and here's why.

She knows the value of the Washington County Adult Drug Treatment
Court, known locally as "Drug Court." She knows how its demanding,
year-plus program helps Washington County's young people get their
lives back on track again. Best of all, those who succeed in Drug
Court save us money because they avoid being sent to jail and prison.

One of our area's unfortunate truths is that many families are
affected by sustance abuse. Drug Court is a way to help counter the
addiction problem. Katherine regularly wrote about Judge Romei's
program when she was a Bangor Daily News reporter. Her husband Frank,
a lawyer, has volunteered his expertise in Drug Court for more than
four years.

At this time of the state's call for budget cuts, I know that
Katherine Cassidy will work to protect and maintain Drug Court for the
families and the future of Washington County.

Carmen Flowers
Lubec

Endorsement: Maine Education Association -

I am one of three Washington County candidates for the Maine House of Representatives endorsed by the Maine Education Association. Marie Emerson (Addison) and incumbent
Anne Perry (Calais) are the others.

"Everything of importance in public education is governed by publicly
elected officials," the MEA notes on its Web site. "Maine's
legislative representatives all play an important role in what happens
in our schools and classrooms."

MEA's screening and endorsement questionnaire asked for candidate
positions regarding:

- An adjustment of the early retirement penalty to reduce the impact
of the "Cliff" under the Maine Public
Employee Retirement System.
- University of Maine/Community College funding.
- Teacher workload/collective bargaining.
- Health insurance for retired educators.
- Public employees' health insurance.
- K-12 funding.
- Livable wages for educational support professionals.
- Academic freedom for higher education.
- Charter schools.

Where was the State Representative?

Maine's Department of Marine Resources held a public hearing in Machias Wednesday for rule-making proposals on the scallop resource. More than 100 fishermen turned out -- and not a single one went on the record for favoring the plan for reduced days (52 between December and March), daily possession limit (200 pounds of scallop meats), and closed areas.

Many voiced how the rules would limit their already-hurting livelihoods. They said if left to themselves, the fishermen would respect the resource and conservation measures would take place naturally, in the cycles of the sea. Truly, the rules the DMR seeks to impose would force fishermen on to the water in bad weather and compromise their safety, all because they would feel pressed to earn their money on the designated days (Mon, Tues, Wed and Saturday) -- which actually conflict with the designated days for urchins.

"When you're on your own, fighting with the ocean in winter, it's not pretty," one Machiasport man said.

They also asked what they can do about changing back the 4-inch ring to the 3-1/2-inch ring in their drags, now a new statute. "Talk to your Representative," was the hearing officer's response. Ian Emery of Cutler is the current Representative -- but he is giving up his seat (that's why I am running). He wasn't at last night's meeting -- even though he's in office through Nov. 30.

If I am elected Nov. 4, I know exactly what I am going to work on, starting Nov. 5. Last night's meeting was fascinating, how these regulations would impact tens of dozens of families' livelihoods along the coast, if imposed.