Ron Russell

Despite ranking fifth in the world for education funding, the United States ranks just 24th in science, 39th in math, and 39th in reading. We must do better if we want our kids to compete and succeed in a global economy. Parents deserve a stronger voice in their children’s education. They should be treated as partners, not bystanders. We need to get back to the basics: math, science, history, and English, so students graduate ready for college, trade school, or the workforce.

I support targeted reforms that improve background check integration, expand mental health resources, and strengthen interagency coordination without infringing on constitutional rights. Our policy focus should be on fixing the systems that fail to identify individuals in crisis, ensuring that those who present a real danger receive timely intervention and care. I oppose any effort to impose burdensome gun control measures that criminalize responsible citizens and will continue advocating for meaningful solutions that both protect public safety and preserve the freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution

We should embrace renewable energy technology where it is cost-effective and makes sense. Wind, hydropower, solar and nuclear are all examples of renewable energy that we should embrace. However, current technology will not allow those sources of energy to replace fossil fuels, and we should not deprive consumers of their energy choices. We must continue to develop renewable technologies so they are a cost-effective alternative to fossil fuels, but I will not support any efforts to mandate the energy sources that Mainers’ choose to power their vehicles or heat their homes.

We must continue to lower taxes for working Maine families and our small businesses. We must take a comprehensive approach to reducing regulation, and ensuring what we’re doing makes good common sense, but doesn’t unnecessarily burden business. We need to focus on reducing government bureaucracy and red-tape.

We must restore law and order in America. We need to ensure violent criminals serve their sentences, and provide law enforcement with the resources they need to keep our communities safe. First responders risk their lives every day to keep us safe, and they deserve our thanks and support, not a call to “defund the police.”

In addition to lowering our cost-of-living, achieving energy independence will strengthen American’s position across the globe. Our European allies will not be held hostage by countries who are not our friends such as Russia. Also, we must stop importing oil from countries that seek to do America harm, such as Iran.

America faces a worsening mental health crisis, and the systems that connect mental health records to firearm background checks are both inconsistent and incomplete. We must close these information gaps while safeguarding individual privacy, due process, and the rights of responsible gun owners—especially Veterans who seek mental health care.

In addition to illegal border crossings, we must reform our amnesty system. Our amnesty system is filled with individuals who are claiming amnesty without valid reasons. We do not adequately screen amnesty recipients to ensure we know who they are and if they have a valid claim. More importantly, we are not performing adequate background checks on those entering our country.

We must prioritize securing our border to stem the illegal flow of unsustainable numbers of immigrants.

Investing in our children means investing in America’s future. But we can’t just pour more money into a system that isn’t improving. We must measure results, reward what works, and embrace reforms like school choice to ensure every student has the best shot at success.

Supports requiring violent offenders to serve their sentences and increasing resources, training, and pay for law enforcement and first responders.

• Opposes efforts to defund police departments.

Supports stronger parental involvement, emphasis on core academic subjects, results-based education funding, and school-choice reforms.

• Says students should graduate prepared for college, trade school, or the workforce.

Prioritizes bipartisan problem-solving and more civil, constructive congressional debate rather than partisan point-scoring.

Supports stronger border enforcement, tighter screening of asylum claims and entrants, and reassessment of legal-immigration levels based on national labor and population needs.

• Also supports legal immigration for properly vetted applicants and says immigrants should assimilate into U.S. civic and economic life.

Supports making current federal tax relief permanent, adding inflation adjustments for lower and middle tax brackets, and strengthening work-linked tax credits such as the Earned Income Tax Credit.

Supports lower taxes and regulation, reduced federal bureaucracy, greater U.S. energy independence, and continued development of renewable and nuclear energy without mandates that eliminate consumer energy choices.

Supports improved firearm-background-check data integration, expanded mental-health resources, and stronger interagency coordination while opposing broad restrictions on lawful gun owners.

• Says reforms should preserve privacy, due process, and Second Amendment rights.

Supports voter-identification requirements and other election-security measures intended to increase public confidence while preserving eligible citizens' access to voting.