Sen. Chris Johnson said his reelection is about the people who put him in the Maine state senate to begin with. The Democrat state senator from Somerville is seeking his second term this November.

“I've been working hard and listening to the things that matter to folks in my district,” he said. “By listening to my constituents, I've been able to find the best ways to solve problems.”

Johnson will again run against Republican Les Fossel, who ran against Johnson in the 2012 elections. For the last two years Johnson has worked to satisfy the needs of his district, he said, adding that problems still plague the state.

“The thing that's foremost for most Mainers is the economy, and job creation,” Johnson said. “Then a close second would be the high costs of healthcare and education.”

Johnson said his solution for solving what ails Maine could help in all those facets.

“I've worked to help Maine's small businesses grow,” he said.

Johnson said by reestablishing a revolving loan program, Maine small businesses can expand and add jobs, as well as expand the tax base. But it isn't just normal businesses that Johnson wants to see flourish with the revolving loan program.

“There are an awful lot of businesses that revolve around farming, fishing and our natural resources here in Maine,” he said. “There's a great opportunity for Maine in farms.”

Johnson said that one of his long-term goals for Maine, which currently imports up to 90 percent of its food, is to have that number be an even 50-50.

With more and more young farmers being drawn to the state, there's an opportunity for Maine's next generations of businesses owners to be grown in-state, too, Johnson said.

“We need to get farmers a more decent paycheck, and instead of sending all of our money out of state to pay for food, we should be able to keep that money in Maine's economy,” he said. “Not only will that provide us an opportunity to have more locally-grown food, it will also keep dollars in-state.”

With fishing making up a significant portion of the state's economy, a food-based industry could provide stability, Johnson said.

“Those fishing and farming jobs can't be moved out of state,” he said.

Another generation of workers and innovators are being hamstrung by worrying about state tests instead of focusing on creative problem solving, Johnson said.

“I am on the education committee, and there is nothing more important than the quality of education,” he said. “We've made great strides in improving early childhood education, but there's been a paradigm shift in regards to proficiency testing.”

Johnson said that creative thinking, critical problem solving and curiosity have been hindered by schools forced to reach test goals.

“We need to get back to what teachers do best — we need to light that spark, and ignite curiosity again,” he said.

To get students thinking critically again, Johnson said that help is around the corner and in the neighborhood.

“We have resources like Darling (Marine Center), Bigelow Labs, and Oceans Wide all in our area,” he said. “There are so many resources around here that could make learning so much more interesting.”