Recently, The Times Record has had announcements of two Republicans running for local state legislative positions. Many years ago, I worked with one of these candidates and found that person competent, hard working and collegial and really the other candidate sounds to be similar. However, it is not enough to have these characteristics when the Republican party is doing such harm to our country. Are these candidates getting money and ideas from organizations such as the Maine Heritage Policy Center that are funded by the nefarious Koch brothers? Do they support the programs of the national Republican party? Do they support the, in my opinion, extreme views of the national party and of the Supreme Court? Do they support separating children from the parents who wish to immigrate here? Do they support significantly reducing environmental safe guards and increased mining and drilling on public lands?  There is much more to being a representative than supporting certain aspects of our education system as important as that issue is. I will never trust Republicans to address the many and varied issues facing our communities, state and country.
Brian Hirst,