Donald Ardell

Donald Ardell lives in Monticello, Maine. Ardell earned a B.A. in fine arts and criminology from the State University of New York at Plattsburgh in 1995.[1] His career experience includes working as a federal criminal investigator and immigration agent.[2]

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am primarily a husband and father of four, and a retired criminal investigator. I enjoy outdoor sporting activities, and value wildlife conservation. I operate a growing pear and apple orchard in Monticello, and I represent the people of Maine House District 6 in the Maine Legislature.

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?

Maine's, and especially Aroostook County's, people value independence and the ability to make our own choices with our own money without unnecessary interference from government. In the 131st Legislature, several policies were debated that limited Mainers' choices of where and how we live, how we heat our homes, how or children are educated, what we can drive, how our money is spent, and how much is taken. To quote Winston Churchill, “I contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle.” I will continue to defend our choices from excessive government interference, and support policy that provides us more, and better, choices.Many of Maine's challenges are symptoms of a greater problem: Maine's disastrous energy policy. Current Maine law selects wind and solar as 'winners' while suppressing clean, reliable, and affordable energy sources like hydropower, creating an energy grid reliant on diesel and natural gas generators on calm days and at night. This forced reliance on fossil fuel backup generation creates uncompetitively high prices and energy uncertainty that drives away business and the anchor employers Maine needs to thrive. In the 132nd Legislature I will re-submit a bill to allow Mainers to access inexpensive, reliable, and green hydropower that will attract employers, relieve ratepayers, and stabilize Maine's economy.Drug addiction is a trap that destroys lives and families, depletes public resources, and limits the prosperity of our communities. My experience in drug smuggling and trafficking investigation informs me that enforcement, while part of the answer, cannot operate alone; smart and effective drug policy involves treatment for those caught in addiction's trap and education to help Mainers avoid it. This 'three-legged stool' approach is necessary to make genuine progress against addiction. The concept of specialized drug courts, for the right candidates, has shown better outcomes than traditional government response, but firm enforcement against the worst traffickers, traffickers in misery, is also necessary.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

My public policy interests are broad. While representing the people of House District 6 in the 131st Legislature I proposed and supported smart energy policy and effective application of criminal justice; supported smart school safety policies to protect our children; devised long-term measures to sustain Maine's critical wildlife and habitat conservation; introduced a citizen's rights bill to help stabilize local elections; defended against legislative attacks on law-abiding Mainers' right to self defense; and proposed policy to help seniors and Mainers of modest means heat their homes more cost-efficiently with Maine-sourced energy and keep them mobile through smarter vehicle inspection rules, among others.

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

Honesty, good listening skills, strong critical thinking skills, strong policy knowledge, and a willingness to learn are all extremely important characteristics of effective legislators. Many public policy issues are complex and an openness to learn about them before casting a committee or floor vote is very important.

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

Primary responsibilities of good legislation, or of any elected official, is respect for and protection of the individual civil rights of the people they serve. Being a good and responsible steward of public money and using it respectfully of the people who paid it is also critical.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I am not interested in a personal legacy as much as I can help support a Maine that remains or becomes an even better place to live, work, end enjoy life. "The Way Life Should Be" is not merely a saying, but a place I hope to pass to my children in even better shape.

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

I wasn't yet born when John F. Kennedy was assassinated, and was a newlywed U.S. Customs special agent going to quarterly range qualification on the morning of September 11, 2001. However, in Summer 1980, even at about 7 years old, I was aware of the presidential race between then-President Jimmy Carter and soon-to-be President Ronald Reagan, and what a difficult position the U.S. had fallen into.

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

Among the three branches of government, the legislative and executive branches interact most directly. The Maine Legislature votes on bills that generate public policy. Maine's governor, as chief executive, has both a role of administering existing laws, but also wields veto power over legislation passed by the legislative branch. To achieve both those roles, the governor must only, responsibly, sign legislation that can be effectively and constitutionally administered, regardless of the governor's political ideology. Engaging that responsibility, the governor can act as an advisor to the legislature to, ideally, help steer legislation that is good public policy and can be effectively administered. On the other side of the coin, the governor must veto legislation that would result in bad public policy without regard to partisan politics or ideology, even if that ideology is shared by the governor with members of the legislature.

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

Many of Maine's challenges are symptoms of a greater problem: Maine's disastrous energy policy. Maine's selection of wind and solar as energy 'winners', and suppression of other sources of energy such as reliable, green, and inexpensive hydropower, has in fact created a energy grid reliant on diesel and natural gas generators used when wind and solar are not operational on calm days and at night. That fossil fuel backup generation creates energy uncertainty and uncompetitively high pricing that drive away business and the anchor employers Maine needs to thrive. Good jobs and a robust economy would go a long way to solving Maine's drug abuse, homelessness, suicide, overtaxation, overreliance on public programs, and education crises we are facing. In the 132nd Legislature I will re-submit a bill to allow Mainers to access inexpensive, reliable, and green hydropower that will attract employers, relieve ratepayers, and help to stabilize and grow Maine's economy and communities.

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

Experience in government can be useful, as it can provide a deeper understanding of government processes or specific expertise when engaging bills on specific issues. However, every legislator will be required to cast a vote on a bill with a subject in which he or she does not have expertise. In that case, willingness to learn and personal integrity are more important, as these characteristics can't be easily acquired and are more generally useful.

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

Absolutely; understanding the perspectives of fellow legislators and the people of the districts they serve is critical in building alliances and creating legislation that will serve all Mainers well, and Maine overall, not just those in urban downstate districts or those with special interests.

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

No. My only goal is to continue to serve the interests of the people of Maine House District 6 as best I can. I have no plans to use my House seat as a springboard to other office.

What is the first bill you would introduce if elected?

In the 132nd Legislature, I will re-introduce a bill I sponsored in the 131st Legislature, LD 622; "An Act to Create Equal Opportunity Access to Clean Energy by Removing the 100-megawatt Limit on Clean Energy Sources." Maine's disastrous energy policy, and the cascading effects of expensive energy ultimately reliant on price-fluctuating fossil fuels, is at the root of our economic, unemployment, and even our social problems. This failure must be reversed.

What committees interest you?

In the 131st Legislature, I served on the Joint Standing Committee for Criminal Justice and Public Safety, and brought my 25 years of professional experience to the bills and issues engaged there. Similarly, my experience with criminal law attracts me to the Joint Standing Committee of the Judiciary. Additionally, my interest in wildlife conservation would serve the Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee; an assignment to the Committee on Taxation would allow me to represent House District 6 with a sense of fiscal responsibility; and my understanding of Maine's energy policy would serve Mainers well in the Energy Committee.

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

Financial transparency, the right of the people to know where their tax money is spent and if it is effective there, is critical. Government accountability can take the form of assessment of government effectiveness, response to citizens, and correction or discontinuance of public policy when that policy is identified as ineffective, failed, or wasteful.

Do you support or oppose changes to the current state ballot initiative process? If so, what kind of changes would you consider?

I like that Maine's people have a direct voice in public policy, to include ballot initiatives and the 'peoples' veto.' However, with a population of only approximately 1.3 million, Maine is vulnerable to fringe policy ideas promoted by out-of-state interests with deep pockets, ideas difficult for Maine to defend against. Maine ballot initiatives need to be Maine-driven, and not subject to outside interests. I support measures to ensure ballot initiatives are Maine-driven, funded within Maine, and the ability of outside interests to manipulate our policies is minimized.

Donald Ardell did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2022 Candidate Connection survey.