Daggett endorses Lawrence

Former Senate President Beverly Daggett, D-Augusta, has endorsed York County District Attorney Mark Lawrence for the first Congressional District seat.

Six Democrats are eyeing Tom Allen’s seat, which he is vacating to run for Senate. They are Lawrence, Chellie Pingree, Stephen Meister, Adam Cote, Michael Brennan and Ethan Strimling.

Daggett said she served with all except Cote in her nine legislative terms, ending in 2003-2004 when she was Senate president. She said she knew Lawrence the longest. He chaired the first committee she served on, and was president during her first term in the Senate.

 “I like his positions on the issues,” Daggett said. “I was always taken with his ethics.”

She said she admires his problem solving skills, and described his personality as “upbeat.”

“Having served as a legislator, you need to make decisions based on information you have at the time,” Daggett said. “It’s impossible to educate everyone on one issue. I think the way someone solves problems, and works with others to solve those problems, shows the kind of perspective they would bring.”