WESTBROOK — After a few months away from state politics, Drew Gattine is back in.

The Democratic State Committee this week selected the former Westbrook state representative as its chairperson.

“Gattine has proven to be a compassionate and effective leader,” Gov. Janet Mills said in a statement. “He chaired both the Health and Human Services Committee and the powerful Appropriations Committee, fighting to preserve clean drinking water, child protection services, public health nursing and programs to help the elderly and feed the hungry.”

Gattine, first elected as House District 34 representative in 2012, termed out last year after serving four terms. Democrat Morgan Rielly was elected to the seat in November in an uncontested race.

Gattine also has been a Westbrook city councilor and chairperson of the Westbrook Democratic Committee.

“The pandemic has shown us that we have more that unites us than divides us. We want to get through this pandemic safely, have access to affordable health care, make a living wage, and provide our children a good education, regardless of their zip code,” Gattine said in a statement for the American Journal.

“We need compassionate, capable leaders who share these values at all levels of government. That’s why this work is so important, and that’s why I’m honored to continue the work of electing Democrats from the city council on up to build a better, more just Maine,” he said.

In her statement, Mills said that Gattine is “an attorney with expertise in health care” and that he is “an outspoken leader with strong Democratic values, who is well respected across the state.”

Gattine also represents Maine Democrats on the Democratic National Committee and is on the board of Emerge Maine. He is a senior policy fellow at the National Academy for State Health Policy. He and his wife are the parents of twins.

The committee elected Bev Uhlenhake, who previously served on the Brewer City Council and two terms as mayor, as its vice chairperson. Uhlenhake has also served as the chair of the Penobscot County Democrats.