Cracks in party unity add challenges for Democrats who lead Maine Legislature

Democrats saw the hard part of being in control of Maine government on Thursday, with four of their senators joining with Republicans to drive a hole through a priority vaccination bill and getting the first veto from Gov. Janet Mills.

Things are getting more difficult for Democrats after a three-month honeymoon period now that key bills are moving from committees to the chamber floors. Some want to finish work on the two-year budget by month’s end, but key divides with Republicans haven’t been worked out yet.

Democratic senators divided Thursday on the vaccination bill and two other environmental protection proposals. As usual, the Senate is proving to be the more moderate chamber under the leadership of Senate President Troy Jackson, D-Allagash, who has a reputation as a hard-charger but represents a moderate district alongside many other Democrats who were key to the party’s push to win the majority in 2018.

Three of them — Jim Dill of Old Town, Erin Herbig of Belfast and Louis Luchini of Ellsworth — were among the four Democratic defectors on a bill from Rep. Ryan Tipping, D-Orono, that is aimed at addressing rising opt-out rates by repealing nonmedical exemptions to school vaccine requirements. It is backed by the Mills administration and passed the House last week.

Read more: https://bangordailynews.com/2019/05/03/politics/daily-brief/cracks-in-party-unity-add-challenges-for-democrats-who-lead-maine-legislature/