Maine Building & Construction Trades Council President, Jason J. Shedlock, Running for South Portland House Seat

Union leader, Jason J. Shedlock, has announced that he is running to succeed Rep. Deqa Dhalac (D-South Portland) for Maine House District 121, which includes part of South Portland. Shedlock is a regional organizer of the Laborers’ International Union of North America’s (LIUNA) New England Organizing Fund, the President of the Maine Building and Construction Trades Council and President of the Southern Maine Labor Council. He also serves on the Maine AFL-CIO executive board. Shedlock is running as a Democrat in the primary election on June 9.

Dhalac announced last month that she is not running for re-election citing "persistent racism, harassment and threats that reflect a broader national pattern targeting Black and Brown elected officials."  Dhalac asked Shedlock to run for her seat.

“When our fearless state representative Deqa Dhalac asked me to carry the torch for us in Augusta, I told her that while my feet are bigger than hers, her shoes are far bigger than mine,” said Shedlock in a statement. “I am honored and humbled by Deqa’s request and I am excited to partner with her and our community to follow her example of bold, thoughtful, and impactful leadership for South Portland.”

In a statement Dhalac said she knows that with Shedlock representing them, “the residents of District 120 will be in good hands”

“No stranger to solidarity himself, Jason has long been a powerful and impactful voice for the working class, the marginalized, and those often left behind,” said Dhalac. “I hope you will join me in supporting him in the primary this June so we can send Jason to Augusta to continue our fight.”