Three-term Republican MaryAnne Kinney faces Democratic challenger April Turner on Nov. 3 in the race for House District 99.

The district includes Brooks, Burnham, Freedom, Jackson, Knox, Monroe, Thorndike, Troy and Unity.

Kinney did not respond to multiple telephone and email messages for comment for this story.

Over her three terms, according to the Legislature’s website, Kinney has served on the Elections and State and Local Government Committees and is a ranking member of the Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee.

According to her legislative biography, Kinney lives in Knox and is a self-employed maple producer.

She has sponsored two bills, including one that passed in 2019 that allowed commercial maple syrup and honey producers to be eligible for sales tax refunds and exemption for commercial agricultural production.

Turner, 42, lives in Freedom and previously ran for the same seat in 2016 and 2018. Kinney took 56.75% of the vote in 2016 and 51.9% in 2018.

Turner’s family roots in Waldo County date back generations, and she said she wanted her children and their generation to live there sustainably and with well-paying jobs.

Turner said she hoped to help people “foster resilience” during the coronavirus pandemic. She plans on fighting for more oversight of nursing homes, support for essential workers and affordable housing for those on fixed incomes.

“I am an experienced advocate for healthcare, mental health treatment and the education and safety of children,” Turner said.

“My focus is to help people with what they need to thrive, protecting seniors’ rights, addressing food insecurity and funding education as a way to reduce property taxes.” 

Turner said the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for accessible internet, which is another one of her legislative priorities.

“We need to develop better infrastructure, including internet services, to ensure that we can meet the needs of students, families, social services and employers,” Turner said.

“We have also seen the need for universal health care, as many have lost their health insurance coverage due to layoffs and business closures.” 

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