{"id":11646,"date":"2026-09-25T19:07:41","date_gmt":"2026-09-25T19:07:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stage.pressherald.com\/voter-guide\/candidates\/eryn-michelle-soule\/"},"modified":"2026-09-25T19:07:41","modified_gmt":"2026-09-25T19:07:41","slug":"eryn-michelle-soule","status":"publish","type":"candidate","link":"https:\/\/stage.pressherald.com\/voter-guide\/candidates\/eryn-michelle-soule\/","title":{"rendered":"Eryn Michelle Soule"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-e44e021b wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-h-4-font-size\">Top Three Priorities<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-left is-style-short-red\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Public Safety: Lewiston has been hit by rising crime, drugs and needle pollution. I&#039;ll fight for resources for law enforcement and recovery.\nCost of Living: Mainers are being squeezed by rising taxes, housing costs and electricity bills. I&#039;ll work to rein in spending and hold Augusta accountable so working families can afford to live here.\nMental Health\/Addiction: Augusta has ignored this crisis. I&#039;ll push for investment in treatment and recovery before more families pay the ultimate price.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-e44e021b wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-h-4-font-size\">Why are you running?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-left is-style-short-red\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Too many lives in Lewiston, including some in my own family, have been ruined by drugs and violence. I can&#039;t sit on the sidelines and watch our leadership drag us further down this rabbit hole. We need someone willing to stand up, say the quiet part out loud, and fight for common-sense solutions that turn things around. Our current path only leads to more destruction. It&#039;s not about party, it&#039;s about solutions.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-e44e021b wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-h-4-font-size\">What is one way Maine is on the right track? What is one way the state is on the wrong track?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-left is-style-short-red\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Just this week, Maine took its first step toward addressing what DHS suspects is fraudulent activity. This is a good first step. Our government needs built-in checks, balances, and accountability.\nGovernment spending is out of control, and Maine families and businesses can&#039;t keep going in this direction. We need our government to cut the regulations and red tape driving up the cost of housing, electricity, and taxes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-e44e021b wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-h-4-font-size\">As one of several dozen legislators in your chamber, how would you make a measurable difference for your constituents?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-left is-style-short-red\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I work well with others, regardless of party.  You can see that in my time as city councilor. I&#039;ll submit bills Lewiston needs and build coalitions to pass them. But when something needs to be said, I won&#039;t wait for permission or consensus; I&#039;ll be the voice willing to go against the flow. Lewiston needs someone in Augusta who can do both. That&#039;s me. That&#039;s what I do.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-e44e021b wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-h-4-font-size\">Surveys show the economy is the top concern of voters. What is a specific proposal addressing Maine voters\u2019 economic anxieties that you\u2019d work to make law?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-left is-style-short-red\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Property tax is one of the many economic concerns I constantly hear about. Nobody should be forced out of their paid-off home because they can&#039;t afford the taxes. As your senator, I&#039;ll support a sizable, wisely-managed budget cut. I&#039;ll also submit\/support a bill raising the Homestead Exemption from $25,000 to $300,000 &#8211; so Mainers pay no property tax on the first $300,000 of their home&#039;s value.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":5077,"template":"","meta":{"voter_guide_candidate_first_name":"Eryn","voter_guide_candidate_middle_name":"Michelle","voter_guide_candidate_last_name":"Soule","voter_guide_candidate_suffix":"","voter_guide_candidate_race_id":11569,"voter_guide_candidate_age":52,"voter_guide_candidate_hometown":"","voter_guide_candidate_occupation":"Advanced Heating Solutions & Mainely DJ\u2019s","voter_guide_candidate_bio":"Former Lewiston city councilor and LYAC leader with extensive business experience, I have managed 30 employees, operated six businesses and bring proven financial, executive and community leadership.","voter_guide_candidate_education":"Graduated Freeport High School 1993, Casco Bay College-Travel and Tourism. Andover College-Accounting.","voter_guide_candidate_years_in_municipality":"","voter_guide_candidate_headshot_url":"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/open?id=1BWgevsIlQ2y5AMv5XRPkLn3FJ-GJaIFl","voter_guide_candidate_date_filed":"","footnotes":""},"vg_party":[466],"vg_residence_municipality":[],"class_list":["post-11646","candidate","type-candidate","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","vg_party-independent"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stage.pressherald.com\/voter-guide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/candidates\/11646","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stage.pressherald.com\/voter-guide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/candidates"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stage.pressherald.com\/voter-guide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/candidate"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/stage.pressherald.com\/voter-guide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/candidates\/11646\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11647,"href":"https:\/\/stage.pressherald.com\/voter-guide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/candidates\/11646\/revisions\/11647"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stage.pressherald.com\/voter-guide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5077"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stage.pressherald.com\/voter-guide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11646"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"vg_party","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stage.pressherald.com\/voter-guide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/vg_party?post=11646"},{"taxonomy":"vg_residence_municipality","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stage.pressherald.com\/voter-guide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/vg_residence_municipality?post=11646"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}