Rev. David G. Corbett, a Republican will run against Henry Ingwersen for the open seat in Maine Senate District 32 in the Nov. 8 election. The district includes Biddeford, Arundel, Lyman, Dayton and Hollis. The seat is open as incumbent Senator Susan Deschambault is ineligible to run because of Maine’s term limit laws.

David Corbett Dina Mendros

Corbett, who is from Lyman, is married. He is the pastor of Oak Ridge Bible Church, in Biddeford. He has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maine; an M.P.A. Degree (Masters of Public Administration) from Golden Gate University; he completed all course work for M.J.A. (Masters of Justice Administration), and is a graduate from the Maine Criminal Justice Academy. His past employment includes being in charge of security for a college, a member of the Saco and Biddeford Police Departments, deputy sheriff with the York County Sheriffs Department, a court mediator and professor of Criminal Justice.

Corbett has a number of goals and priorities if elected he said in an email.

He said he “would like to see bags for customers brought back to our stores. It should be your choice whether you want to bring a bag or have the store give it to you. The 5 cents that you now pay for a bag, is a tax that goes to the State of Maine!”

He said he wants to eliminate the state income tax.

Education is one of Corbett’s priorities.

“Sex education has NO place in our schools and should be taught at home,” he said. “The whole gender pronouns movement needs to go along with default to birth gender. … this creates confusion!”

“Parents are the teachers of their children and not the state,” Corbett said. “There needs to be transparency in our schools and the teachers answer to the school board and parents! Parents have the absolute right of school choice. Discipline needs to be returned to our schools; without it teachers can not teach!”

In addition, he said, “we have a problem in our schools when students are unable write in cursive, or know how to read and comprehend at grade-level (phonics need to be taught)! Just doing assignments without real learning taking place accomplishes nothing!”

“Our Courts need reform,” Corbett said. “Why is it, that we cannot get justice without an expensive lawyer and court fees? ‘We the citizens’ need inexpensive access to our courts! I know of a case where a person was charged with a crime, and now the cases are 5 years old and he has not had a trial! Whatever happened to a fair and speedy trial?”

Corbett said he favors Voter ID.”

He said, “in short, America is a mess and Maine is a mess.” He said that is because Democrats have been in power.

Henry Ingwersen

Ingwersen, 71, of Arundel, is married, he has three daughters, and 10 grandchildren. Ingwersen is a retired teacher of 25 years and now has a small beekeeping business. He has a master’s degree in Educational Leadership from the University of Southern Maine. Previously, Ingwersen served in the Maine House of Representatives from 2018 to 2020, serving Arundel, Dayton, Lyman (part) and served on the Education and Cultural Affairs Committee.

If elected, Ingwersen said in an email, his priorities would be education, working to create more affordable housing, maintaining abortion rights in the state and working to fight climate change.

“While in the legislature,” Ingwersen said, “I was on the Education Committee and voted to boost minimum teacher salaries and increase the state’s share of school funding to 55%. As a career teacher, I know how great our schools are, and will work on current challenges such as teacher shortages and pandemic learning loss without further burdening our hard-working teachers and staff.”

“To solve our teacher and other skilled workers shortage we need to begin to solve the affordable housing shortage,” he said. “Maine’s new affordable housing law is a positive step and will help family members of homeowners and others stay in their communities to live and work”

“It is not the business of government to take away a woman’s private health care decisions and right,” Ingwersen said. “As a father of three daughters and grandfather of ten, I will fight to uphold this right for them and all Mainers. As a legislator I supported a law which ensures health insurance coverage for all reproductive care, including abortion.”

He added, “Climate Change is a clear and present threat to all facets of Maine life and livelihood: fishing, tourism, agriculture, infrastructure, public health, and the environment. As a legislator I supported Maine’s Climate Action Plan, which will decrease Maine’s greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050.”

Ingwersen said district resident’s should elect him because “my experience in the legislature has shown that I have the qualities needed to get the work done for the people in my district: the ability to listen carefully and work tirelessly with my constituents and fellow lawmakers regardless of party. “I am invested in Maine for the long haul. As a husband, father of three, and grandfather of ten, all living in Maine, I want our communities and our state to remain a more affordable, healthy, sustainable, and safe place to live. I want to make Maine a better place for generations to come.”