Tuesday’s elections set stage for Maine state lawmakers’ primary and general election contests as every seat in legislature up for grabs

(Portland, MAINE) – South Portland voters have elected Matt Beck to represent them in Augusta. Beck won the seat formerly held by the late Lois Galgay Reckitt. 

Planned Parenthood Maine Action Fund PAC endorsed Beck in the special election, which came on the same day as the state’s presidential primaries. Tuesday’s election was the first time unenrolled voters could participate in these primary elections, and the first-time ranked choice voting was used in a presidential primary in the state. 

The state’s presidential primary results were unsurprising, with former President Donald Trump winning the Republican primary and President Joe Biden winning the Democratic primary. Despite abortion bans remaining unpopular with voters nationwide, Trump allies continue to strategize how to restrict abortion at the federal level.   

Attacks on reproductive health care and protecting access to care continue to drive voters to the polls, and November’s contests will be no exception. During this election-year legislative session, and as attacks on abortion care, birth control, fertility treatments and life-saving care for transgender people escalate across the country, Maine lawmakers are considering several bills this session that could protect and expand access to reproductive health care, including LD 780, a bill that would enshrine the right to reproductive autonomy in our state constitution, LD 2203, a bill that would expand access to and affordability of over-the-counter contraception, and LD 227, a bill that protects Maine’s reproductive and gender-affirming care providers from hostile attacks based on laws in other states that have banned this care that is legal in Maine. 

The legislature’s Health Care, Insurance and Financial Services Committee Tuesday held a public hearing on LD 227, where medical providers and patient advocates outlined the need for protecting care providers in Maine from out-of-state actors while also identifying and correcting dangerous disinformation narratives from people opposed to protecting safe, essential legal medical care in the state. 

Statement from Lisa Margulies, Esq., Vice President of Public Affairs, Planned Parenthood Maine Action Fund PAC 

“We are excited to work with Representative-elect Matt Beck and all Maine lawmakers to continue to make progress here in Maine when it comes to protecting and expanding access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care.  

Our lawmakers have so far worked to protect essential medical care from attacks as states across the country seek to ban care and criminalize patients and providers. These elected leaders have opportunities this session to continue this work by passing legislation that will expand access to contraception, protect essential medical care providers from out-of-state interference with legal care in Maine and explicitly enshrine the right to reproductive autonomy in our state constitution.  

In November 2022, the first general election after the U.S. Supreme Court revoked federal protection for abortion, Maine voters elected reproductive rights champions to represent them. Mainers expect those champions to continue the work of protecting our rights, and will hold lawmakers accountable to their campaign promises this fall.” 

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The Planned Parenthood Maine Action Fund Political Action Committee promotes and preserves a health care landscape and a political climate favorable to women’s health by working to identify and elect supportive candidates seeking executive and legislative offices. The PPMEAF PAC is operated by the Planned Parenthood Maine Action Fund, an independent, nonpartisan, not-for-profit membership organization formed as the advocacy and political arm of Planned Parenthood of Northern New England in Maine. The Action Fund engages in educational and electoral activity, including voter education, grassroots organizing, and legislative advocacy.