OLD ORCHARD BEACH — Democrat Lori Gramlich is the new legislator representing House District 13, which includes Old Orchard Beach.

She bested two-time former State Rep. Sharri MacDonald, a Republican, in Tuesday’s election. The vote was 2,767 to 1,885.

The position was open when State Rep. George Hogan, who had held the seat since 2014, retired.

“I’m honored and humbled at the reception I’ve gotten,” Gramlich said in a telephone interview on Thursday.

Prior to moving to Old Orchard Beach in 2013,Gramlich served on the Portland School Committee from 2005 to 2008 and was also the special assistant and communications director for former Maine Senate President Beverly Daggett from 2002 to 2004. She owns Rise Up Cafe in Old Orchard Beach, and also works as the executive director of the Maine Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers and is an adjunct professor of social work at the University of Southern Maine.

She ran for House position, Gramlich said, because she wanted to “be in a position to affect change.”

As a social worker, “I work in public policy and work to affect change for those whose voices might not be heard,” she said.“I felt strongly that the way to affect systemic change is through the Legislature.”

She was just a teenager when Gramlich decided when she grew up “I would work to make things better.”

As one of four children of a single mother who could only get a low-paying job “we were hungry a lot,” Gramlich said. “It was tough.”

That experience put her on the path of where she is today, she said.

When she gets to Augusta, Gramlich said she has a number of issues she hopes to tackle to help her constituents.

One is looking at the school funding formula.

Old Orchard Beach only gets about 7 percent of state funding to pay for K-12 schools, far below the 55 percent it should, she said. About 47 percent of the town’s property taxes are used to pay for the schools, she said. This a significant burden on year round residents, Gramlich said, as town residents’ median income is below the state average.

“We need to get our fair share from the state,” she said.

During her time on the campaign trail, when she knocked on about 2,000 doors, she said she learned a lot about residents’ concerns. One is that the aging population is concerned about being able to afford to stay in their homes, as people from outside of the community are buying homes in the coastal community, which increases property taxes.

Gramlich said people are attracted to the town because “of the the jewel in our backyard, the Atlantic Ocean.”

Protecting that jewel is important as it plays an important role in the town’s economy, she said. She said she has seen sizable  beach erosion along parts of Old Orchard Beach’s coastline.

“We need to put some energy in protecting this jewel,” Gramlich said.

She said she is looking forward to her tenure in the Legislature in Augusta.

“I’m really excited to get up there and be the best advocate I can for our town,” Gramlich said.

— Associate Editor Dina Mendros can be reached at 780-9014 or dmendros@journaltribune.com. Sports Editor Pat McDonald contributed to this story.