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Hit the Ground Running

My name is Jim Crawford, and I am the Democratic candidate for the State Senate here in the 33rd District, where I have lived nearly all my life.

I am a proud veteran of the United States Army, where I served as a diversity training officer after college. The experience inspired me to start a career in teaching, so I returned to Westbrook, and remained there teaching English and history for the next 37 years.

During 22 of those same years, my wife and I also owned and operated a small, family hotel together. As such, I understand the economic climate faced by many small-business owners. After teaching all day, I would come home to work at the hotel, where I did everything from keeping the books and meeting payroll to fixing broken plumbing.

Thanks to this experience, I know firsthand what it takes to help small companies succeed, and that is exactly what I will aim to do as your readers' state senator. It has been my honor to serve one term already in the state House of Representatives, where I was proud to work across the aisle to pass bipartisan jobs legislation, offering grants and loans to help small companies expand and hire new workers.

I also helped to pass bills that cut the business entity tax in half, established a $500 per month tax credit for companies that hire unemployed workers, and provide on-the-job training to our young, unemployed veterans now returning home from the wars overseas.

I believe that the variety of life experiences I possess will allow me to hit the ground running if your readers choose to send me to the State Capitol. I ask for their support on Nov. 6.

State Representative Jim CrawfordWestbrook

Democratic 33rd State Senate District candidate Jim Crawford faces Republican Art Linares and Green Party candidate Melissa Schlag in the November elections.