In my 50-plus years of voting, it is rare for me to actively support a candidate, especially one that I only recently had met.  Erin Herbig is that exceptional candidate for several reasons.  First, she has clear goals.  Erin’s passion is to make Maine an attractive place for her youthful peers to work and make a positive future – reversing the current net outmigration of youth. 

Second, I like her lessons learned from being Maine House Majority Leader.  She prioritized bills with bipartisan support, achieving success at the legislative level against the prevailing partisan trends. Witness for example the consistent public (and legislative) support for MaineCare (Medicaid) expansion over the past seven years, narrowly yielding to the veto pen. 

Third, it is noteworthy that Erin has visited more than 100 Waldo County small businesses and their leaders, including at least four in my town of Liberty, learning the elements of success and challenge and forming relationships that will inform her in the future. 

Fourth, Erin is skilled as a communicator and listener. When she learned of my involvement with Aging Well in Waldo County, she immediately invited me to speak with the Senior Caucus that she chairs. 

Finally, and to me most importantly, Erin exudes an infectious enthusiasm in her work. She has that intangible spark that makes me want to find ways to make my community and my state better places to live. If you find a way to meet Erin, I bet you’ll catch the spark, too. 

Bob Kohl lives in Liberty