A part-time mathematics instructor at the University of Southern Maine is running against an incumbent seeking his third term in House District 23, which covers part of Standish.

Democrat Tim Goodwin hopes to unseat Republican Lester Ordway, who was elected in 2015 in a special election.

THE CANDIDATES

TIM GOODWIN
Age: 51
Residence: Standish
Party affiliation: Democrat
Family: Divorced, two adult children
Occupation: Part-time mathematics department faculty, University of Southern Maine
Education: Bachelor’s degree in mathematics, University of Vermont
Political/civic experience: One year on Standish Budget Committee
Website/social media: www.tim4me.org/

LESTER ORDWAY
Age: 62
Residence: Standish
Party affiliation: Republican
Family: Married, four children
Occupation: Automotive technology instructor, Central Maine Community College
Education: University of Southern Maine
Political/civic experience: Past member SAD 6 School Board, Standish Planning Board, Standish Town Council; member SAD 6 Budget Advisory Committee
Website/social media: Facebook – Representative Lester Ordway

Goodwin, 51, has not run for public office before, although he has served on the Budget Committee in Standish.

“I feel there is a disconnect between what the people want and need and what our government provides. This needs to change,” he said.

Goodwin also cited his personal experiences as motivation. “Like many, I have been behind in my bills and spent time without health insurance; I have worked more than one job to get by. That this is not an unusual perspective, let alone a unique perspective, tells me that government is not serving the people as well as it should be,” he said.

If elected Nov. 6, Goodwin said his “primary goal would be to enact the will of the people; a representative’s job is to represent the people.”

He said that he would focus on “education, infrastructure and worker rights.”

Ordway, 62, has been a member of the Bonny Eagle School Board, Standish Planning Board and Standish Town Council.

Ordway said he focuses on attracting young Mainers to live and work in the state and is developing a plan to convince young people to stay here, although it is still in the conceptual stage.

He proposes that the state offer Mainers – whether they attend college in or out of state – seven-year student loans at 1½ percent interest on the condition that they work in Maine for seven or eight years while they pay them off.

Ordway said he is also considering running for a leadership position in the House “so that maybe we can make things run a little smoother. It would be a way that I could better represent my constituents,” he said.

Jane Vaughan can be contacted at 781-3661 ext. 123 or at:

jvaughan@keepmecurrent.com