Public Advocate Nominee Secures Narrow Approval in Legislative Test

Portland: So, Heather Sanborn just got a narrow win in her first legislative test to become the Public Advocate in Maine. The committee voted 7-5 in her favor, which is pretty close. She’s stepping in to replace William Harwood, who’s retiring soon.

Sanborn, who co-founded a craft brewery, promised to keep the energy costs of Mainers in mind. But she didn’t commit to not working for a utility in the future, which raised some eyebrows. Some committee members liked her business background, while others were skeptical about her commitment to ratepayers.

One senator even mentioned the “revolving door” between government and industry, saying she didn’t show enough concern about possibly working for a utility later on. On the flip side, some Democrats praised her as pragmatic.

Sanborn avoided taking strong stances on specific energy policies, which didn’t sit well with everyone. She said she’d consider nuclear energy if it helps lower costs for consumers, but she also pointed out the rising costs of nuclear projects.

Overall, it’s a mixed bag of support and skepticism as her nomination heads to the Senate for a final vote. It’ll be interesting to see how this plays out!