Zachary Lejonhud (IBEW 1253) is Running for Pittsfield Area House Seat

IBEW 1253 electrician Zachary Lejonhud is running as an Independent for House District 68, which comprises the towns of Burnham, Clinton, Pittsfield and Troy. Lejonhud has already hit the campaign trail running on a platform of rural economic development, supporting good union jobs and restoring trust in government.

“I’m running because I don’t think the people currently in power are fighting for folks like us,” says Lejonhud. “Rural and working-class Mainers have been overlooked while wealth and influence concentrate at the top. I’m not a career politician; I’m someone who’s lived the reality of trying to find a path, trying to build a life, and trying to stay in a place I care about. I value honesty, hard work, and straightforward communication, and I’m not afraid to speak up for people who feel they’ve been ignored.”

He is also a graduate of the Maine AFL-CIO Worker Candidate Training. Originally from Hebron, Lejonhud joined IBEW Local 1253 in 2020 and moved to Pittsfield to be closer to the union hall in Newport. He says he worked a number of low-wage jobs before he joined the union. He said his experience as an apprentice and journeyman electrician changed his life and opened his eyes to the value of unions. That’s why he believes the state should be incentivizing the creation of more union jobs with good wages and benefits.

“It was a huge, huge change for me because I was a homeowner making like $13 an hour at the time. I was like house poor for sure,” he said. “Then I joined up with the union to do electrical work as an apprentice and immediately I got a $5 an hour raise and more hours. All of a sudden, it became a lot more feasible for me to actually be able to live on my own and be successful”

Now he is earning twice as much as he was originally earning and living comfortably, thanks to his union. Lejonhud said the number one issue residents of his district are telling him at doors is the soaring cost of living.

“Gas prices are going through the roof, groceries going through the roof, then insurance and property taxes on top of that continue to climb,” he said. “There's not much wiggle room in the budgets around here.”

Lejonhud said he wants to do more to help Mainers start small businesses and spur economic activity, which will stabilize municipal budgets, keep property taxes from rising and provide opportunities for young people to stay in the area or move to the region. He said working-class people make great candidates because they are more in touch with voters in rural communities.

“As much as I'd love to say that the union brings a unique perspective and how important that is, I think the most important thing is to run working-class candidates who have lived like the majority of Americans, instead of the rich and privileged who just aren't connected with reality,” said Lejonhud. “We need working-class folks that struggle and see the dire straits that some of our communities are in and what is actually needed to help get these communities to flourish.”

Learn more at www.votezacharylejonhud.com