e Legislature: Somali Americans break down barriers // Voters gave Democrats control in both chambers of Maine’s Legislature for two more years. They also made history by electing two Somali Americans and the first Black woman into the Senate. The reelection and re-election of the Democratic Governor. Janet Mills won the midterm election with a clear victory for Democrats, defeating Republican attempts to take control of at least one chamber. Three Black women were elected to the Legislature of the nation’s whitest country. HTML3_ MIDTERM ELUTIONS 2022: LIVE UPDATE “It’s hard to be the ‘only one’ in the room. People of color in Maine experience this quite a lot,” Democratic Senator-elect Jill Duson, who was a former Portland city councilor, said Wednesday. “Having what we might call ‘critical mass’ is a comfort level. It’s not that everyone thinks the same. It’s nice to see people like me represented.” Democrat Mana Abdi of Lewiston was unopposed and South Portland Mayor Deqa Dhalac defeated her Republican opponent, allowing them both to become the first members in the state’s growing Somali American community to be elected to the Legislature. Abdi stated that she was grateful that Somali Americans can look at their Legislature and say, “There is someone who looks like I.” “We want to be seen as part and parcel of this society. Dhalac said that this is the essence of America. MARIJUANA LEGALIZED IN THESE STATES IN THE MIDTERM ELECTIONS There were many high-profile legislative races. Troy Jackson, Maine Senate President, is a Democrat. He won a hard-fought fight against Sue Bernard, a Republican challenger in a race that saw an incredible amount of spending to northern Maine. Republicans were able to flip the seat that was held by John Martin, a former long-time Democratic House Speaker who had served more than 50 year in the Legislature. Austin Theriault (a Republican from Fort Kent who was a NASCAR driver), defeated Dana Marie Appleby, a Democrat from Saint John Plantation. Other Black lawmakers who are returning include Rep. Rachel Talbot Ross of Portland and Sen. Craig Hickman of Winthrop. Both of them were reelected.