BIDDEFORD — Two-term independent State Rep. Martin Grohman of Biddeford is taking a bold step forward in his political career and has announced that he will challenge incumbent Democrat Chellie Pingree for the 1st Maine U.S. Congressional District seat in this fall’s election.

Grohman, a businessman who was first elected to represent Biddeford’s District 12 in the Maine House of Representatives in 2014, unenrolled from the Democratic Party last September saying that he could accomplish more as an independent than being affiliated with a politcal party.

He grew up on a working farm in Carthage, Maine, and eventually earned a degree in chemical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, but his experience serving as a legislator in Augusta has convinced Grohman he can make a difference in Washington. 

“Our nation faces enormous challenges, but Washington is too entrenched in party gridlock to effectively address them,” said Grohman. “Government should not just lurch from crisis to crisis. The partisan fighting is exhausting for the public. We need a new approach. We need our elected officials to come out of their partisan corners, sit down together, and work out real solutions. That’s why I’m running for Congress.”

According to Grohman, Maine residents need a government that works to solve the problems that are too big for any one individual to tackle, hence his decision to run for U.S. Congress.

“Mainers face all kinds of stress in their everyday lives, from health care costs and property taxes, to opioid addiction and inadequate Social Security,” he said. “When I take my kids to the bus stop, and talk with my neighbors, they aren’t concerned about the future of political parties. They’re concerned about the future of their families and their communities.”

He says he embraces a philosophy of being willing to work with anyone to solve complex problems.

“What I’ve learned from serving in Augusta going forward is that good ideas can come from anywhere,” Grohman said. “I am currently working with Gov. Paul LePage on student loan relief. I think that’s the right approach.”

As an independent, Grohman said he’s not forced to take strictly partisan stances, rather he relishes the opportunity to find compromise to achieve proper lasting solutions to difficult issues.

“I’m literally in the aisle and non-partisan,” he said. “I’ll work with anybody that wants to get things done. I might be one of the first, but we need more of it.”        

Besides trying to unseat Pingree, who was first elected to Congress in 2008 and is now in her fifth term representing the 1st Maine District, Grohman also will be running in the fall against a Republican candidate, Mark Holbrook of Brunswick. The 1st Maine Congressional District encompasses Cumberland, Kennebec, Knox, Lincoln, Sagadahoc and York counties.

During his time as a state representative, Grohman has been a staunch pro-business advocate and a champion for veterans’ groups and addiction recovery programs.

Along the way, he’s been honored twice as American Legion Legislator of the Year, designated as an honorary life member of the Vietnam Veterans of America, and won the 2016 President’s Award from the Maine Sheriff’s Association. Last year, Grohman was named the Retail Association of Maine’s Legislator of the Year and he’s been ranked as the most bipartisan member of the Maine Legislature.

While in business, Grohman, a married father of two children, created a composite decking material and then launched a successful building materials company in Biddeford that eventually employed 75 people and grossed $30 million in sales. After selling the company, Grohman went on to become executive director of Sustainability for GAF, a roofing manufacturer.

His experience in business uniquely qualifies him to represent residents in the 1st Congressional District, Grohman said.

“It doesn’t hurt,” he said. “I know how hard it is. I think with everything we need to take on, we’ve got to have successful businesses to grow our economy.”     

He says he’s deeply committed to supporting veterans issues and fulfilling promises made to those who’ve worn the uniform of our nation while defending our freedom.

“It gives me the will to run,” Grohman said. “I know they know they have my support and I’m going to keep carrying water for them every chance I get.”   

In announcing his decision to run for Congress, Grohman cites a growing public unsatisfaction with the way Americans are represented in government. 

“Voters are frustrated. They can see that nothing is getting done. Instead of seeing solutions, they see gridlock, disrespect, partisan attacks, and grandstanding. Government is doing the absolute bare minimum and not taking on the big problems,” he said. “We need representatives who can cross the partisan divide. My bipartisan approach to issues resulted in real solutions in the Maine Legislature. I can bring that same approach to the U.S. House of Representatives.”
 
One thing he said he enjoys about serving as an elected official is being a relentless advocate for his constituents.

“I truly enjoy working on behalf of my constituents,” Grohman said. “I believe the needs of Maine’s First District have to come before the needs of the national political parties. As a congressman, I’ll help change the way business is done in Washington. My focus will be to fix, not fight. We can solve the big problems if we stop the name-calling, roll up our sleeves, and work together. Over the next six months, I will work hard to earn the support of voters who want to meet in the middle and get things done.”

— Executive Editor Ed Pierce can be reached at 282-1535 ext. 326 or by email at editor@journaltribune.com.