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Primary Election Profile: Craig Olson

Craig Olson is one of three Democrats vying to challenge Republican incumbent U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin.

Olson runs an Islesboro bookstore and manages the Islesboro Transfer Station. He served for three years on the town Board of Selectmen, chairing the panel for a year. Prior to that he was the CEO of Kelmscott Rare Breeds Foundation in Lincolnville, a working farm and educational center.

Olson holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville and a master’s degree from the State University of New York at Oneonta and the New York State Historical Association.

As Olson told Maine Public’s Mal Leary, his first priority in Congress would be universal health care:

Olson: It really was the reason I got into this race, because I’d had a bout with skin cancer about three years ago, and we were really fortunate to have coverage through the Affordable Care Act. And when I saw our current member of Congress voting against that act over and over, it really is the impetus for me. And it’s something that I really wanted to fight for at the federal level.

Leary: But how does it set you apart from your opponents? Because they all support expanded coverage as well.

Olson: They do support it, and I think what sets me apart is the fact that I really want to see it established in the same way that we established Medicare, and that we have a 10 percent fee on every working American — 5 percent comes out of the worker’s pocket, 5 percent out of their employer — and we have a standard level of care. And none of the opponents in the primary have really come up with a plan as to how you fund that universal health insurance in the U.S., and that’s really been a proposal that I put forth.

Leary: All the polls continue to show that jobs are the biggest concern for voters, particularly in the 2nd District. What would you do as a member of Congress to help grow the economy?

Olson: I think for me, one of the biggest things that I would push for is working more with helping develop regional economies within Maine. You can’t just use a cookie-cutter approach to the entire state, you have to look at each different region of the state. I think with the forest products industry in northern Maine and tourism, we need to be bringing in more research, more things to do with that cellulose fiber that comes out of our trees. Along the coast, along with tourism, I think the other thing we need to be looking at are what are those renewable energy systems, like an offshore wind turbine field that would help bring and lower energy costs in Maine but also bring more people in to the coastal region. And for all of Maine, really, we have to have universal broadband that reaches every corner of the state. And that is something that’s going to have to be funded by the federal government, with additional help from the state and local municipalities, and that’s going to have to be a different mix for each community. Where I live on Isleboro, we were able to establish our own municipal broadband system. It’s a town utility now, and we were able to do it because we have a high tax base. But other communities don’t have the tax base we have. They should be able to look for funding from the federal government, from the state, municipalities and from private companies.

Leary: What do you see as the most pressing issue facing the country, and what would you try to do to address it as a member of Congress?

Olson: As I talk to people in the district it’s really about health care, No. 1. But the other thing is, really, jobs and the outmigration of young people in Maine. We’re losing more people in Maine than are being born. And we need to be doing more with encouraging immigration and bringing people in, but also combining that with broadband and all these other factors to make sure that we can have people living wherever they want to in Maine and have viable incomes.

Leary: So what do you do in Congress to try to achieve that goal?

Olson: I think No. 1 you go for funding more for energy projects, like the wind turbine systems that we’re looking at off the coast. We look at infrastructure, not only for broadband but, physically, roads and bridges and improving things, but also rail for getting product in and out of the state. We have a lot of rail lines in the state that are dormant. I think we need to be rebuilding that rail, not necessarily building big four-lane highways but actually utilizing the infrastructure that’s been there for a century.

Leary: Voters participating in the June primary elections are going to be using ranked-choice voting for the first time. Now I’m assuming you plan to rank yourself as your top choice, but who’s your second? Who’s your third choice?

Olson: Good question. Yes, I’m going to be No. 1 for myself. Two and three — you know, the jury is still out. I’m still trying to figure that one out and I may not know until I walk into that voting booth on June 12.

This interview has been edited for clarity. For a longer version of this interview, aired as part of a Public Affairs special program, click here. For more on Olson’s stances on the issues, and other Democrats in Maine’s 2nd District race, click here. Visit our Your Vote 2018 page for more elections resources and information.