We write to recommend Kathleen Meil for Maine House District 94. Two admissions: We are only part-time residents of Maine; and we are Kathleen Meil’s parents. We think these attributes allow us to offer a perspective that voters in District 94 may find useful as they weigh who will better represent them in Augusta.

Kathleen grew up in the culturally, economically, and politically diverse Washington, D.C., area. She sat around the dinner table with Democrats, Republicans, and independents, and talked about the important, sometimes contentious, issues of the day with family, friends, and classmates from around the world. For regular citizens, being “from away” in Washington is commonplace, and finding things that bind you together — common ground — is an indispensable skill. It’s one Kathleen exemplifies.

Kathleen was born with boundless intellectual curiosity and a preternatural willingness to work hard. Our community and her experiences as a teacher, working mom, and green energy advocate taught her empathy, as well as the value of listening and acting with respect. Kathleen knows the value of being part of something bigger than oneself, the redemptive power of persistence and faith, and the civic obligation we have to give back while striving, always, to going forward.

Parents aren’t supposed to be unbiased, and as Kathleen Meil’s parents, we don’t claim to be. Kathleen’s record of accomplishment and service in the Midcoast is long and deep. Two years ago, when Kathleen was chair of the Rockport Library Committee, she worked tirelessly and respectfully to discern the town’s needs and to develop consensus on the best path forward. And when the decision was different from what she had championed, she kept focused on the community and its needs.

We’re not unbiased, but we don’t think we’re wrong, either. Kathleen Meil is ready to represent Rockport, Camden, and Islesboro in the Maine legislature. She is ready to listen, ready to lead, ready to serve. Maine House District 94 can do no better than to elect Kathleen Meil. If you give her your vote, she’ll give you her all.

Timothy and Judy McCormally live in Hope and Arlington, Virginia