Maine State Senate District 8 candidate surveys, 2022

Elections in Maine, 2022

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This article shows responses from candidates in the 2022 election for Maine State Senate District 8 who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey.

• Click here to see candidates and election results.
• Click here to see Candidate Connection survey responses.

Candidates and election results

General election

General election for Maine State Senate District 8

Mike Tipping defeated Eric Rojo in the general election for Maine State Senate District 8 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Mike Tipping (D)	52.8	8,317
		Eric Rojo (R)	47.2	7,421

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 15,738
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses

Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. The section below shows responses from candidates in this race who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Survey responses from candidates in this race

Click on a candidate's name to visit their Ballotpedia page.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

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Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Eric Rojo (R)

Let my experience work for you

the people of Maine first, all, not just party

lower and eliminate taxes that burden Mainers and only feed a growing government

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Eric Rojo (R)

Veterans, Farmers, rural Maine, the elderly, the young who need better education options and more industry to hire them so they will no longer have to leave Maine. Define proper options to reduce electricity and energy costs so people do not have to make a choice between heat and food.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Eric Rojo (R)

Ulisses S Grant, Abraham Lincoln, Ronald Reagan

Lincoln kept the union (two of my gratgranfathers fought for the Union)

Grant consolidated the Union victory ensuring the end of slavery and enforcing their freedtom in the south, chased the KKK and the Democrats who have been the slave promoters and the cuase for sessesion.

Regan won the cold war without a shot and got the US back on track as the great county we have been until the last 2 years

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

Eric Rojo (R)

Mr. Smith goes to Washington

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Eric Rojo (R)

listen to all the people in our district, attend to their intersts and concerns, look for finding and obtaining real solutions and stop adding money to the problem

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

Eric Rojo (R)

Good listner and a sense of humor and duty

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Eric Rojo (R)

serve the people who elect us and make sure to eliminate hurtful legislation and only pass what will in fact meet this effort. Legislate for the sake of being there is full of waste and ego trips

What legacy would you like to leave?

Eric Rojo (R)

a better State of Maine

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

Eric Rojo (R)

see the Batista goverment fall and Fidel Castro enter Havana as a fake libertator, 13 years old

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

Eric Rojo (R)

washing floors at the University of Maine while finishing my last semester at Old Town High School 1966

What is your favorite book? Why?

Eric Rojo (R)

the Little Prince, a simple and valuable perspective of a good life to live with and for others

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Eric Rojo (R)

Merlin

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Eric Rojo (R)

sunrise, sunset

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

Eric Rojo (R)

dealing with injustice and government arrogance

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and state legislature?

Eric Rojo (R)

focus on the need of our citizens, not their egos or personal agenda

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

Eric Rojo (R)

create good jobs, attract large business that will employ more Mainers. Develop energy from our wasted biomass

What are the benefits and drawbacks of a unicameral state legislature, in your opinion?

Eric Rojo (R)

there is no balance or checks

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

Eric Rojo (R)

no. Business and real world experience are most important. Government is not the place to start learning

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

Eric Rojo (R)

of course. There must be a collegiate relationship regardeless of party afiliation

What process do you favor for redistricting?

Eric Rojo (R)

over regulation and mandates that tell people how to live their lives according the know nothings in goverment

If you are not a current legislator, are there certain committees that you would want to be a part of?

Eric Rojo (R)

Energy, veterans, farmers, environment

Is there a particular legislator, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

Eric Rojo (R)

Joe Sewall and Sheldon Hanington

Are you interested in running for a different political office (for example, the U.S. Congress or governor) in the future?

Eric Rojo (R)

not at this time, my focus now is just Maine and mainers

Both sitting legislators and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

Eric Rojo (R)

when visiting a lady on fixed income who was a regular at the American Legion Bingo on Friday, she was asked why she stopped coming? She can no longer afford 80 dollars a month for her entertainment

Should the legislature oversee or grant the use of emergency powers?

Eric Rojo (R)

yes, oversee and grant only for a real and not a policial emergency

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

Eric Rojo (R)

yes, important to have a dialogue. We Americans agree on about 80% of important issues and can find middle ground, avoiding the extremes at both ends and not losing civility

See also

More about these elections:

• Maine State Senate elections, 2022

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