AUGUSTA - Maine House Democrats on Thursday nominated Rep. Rachel Talbot Ross, D-Portland, to serve as Maine's Speaker of the House for the 131st Legislature.
"I am truly honored and humbled to be nominated by my House Democratic colleagues to serve as Speaker of the House," said Talbot Ross. "I am proud of all that we accomplished during the 130th Legislature, but I know there is still so much more to do to address the many challenges facing our state, including the rising cost of living, climate change and a lack of access to affordable housing and healthcare. Should I receive the support of the full Legislature, I will continue to push for progress in our state and use my position of leadership to work to improve the lives of all Mainers."
Talbot Ross is entering her fourth term as a member of the Maine House representing part of Portland. She just completed a term as Assistant House Majority Leader and has previously served on three policy committees: Criminal Justice and Public Safety, Health and Human Services and Judiciary. She is the first and only Black woman elected to legislative leadership in Maine and follows in the footsteps of her father, who was the states first Black legislator when he was elected in 1972.
A ninth-generation Mainer and longtime public servant, Talbot Ross has worked for the City of Portland, led several nonprofit organizations dedicated to social justice and served in leadership roles with the NAACP in Maine. As a lawmaker, she has worked extensively on justice reform and has shaped critical conversations about equity for all Mainers. She has secured the passage of landmark legislation to include racial impact analysis in the legislative process, expand tribal legal authority over domestic violence against Native Americans and create Maines Permanent Commission on the Status of Racial, Indigenous and Tribal Populations, which she co-chairs.
Members of the 131st Legislature will be sworn in on Wednesday, Dec. 7, during which a final vote for Speaker of the House will be taken. There are 82 incoming Democratic representatives in the 131st Legislature.
Contact:
Brian Lee [Talbot Ross], 305-965-2744
PHOTO: Rep. Rachel Talbot Ross, D-Portland, stands in the House chamber following her selection as the House Democratic nominee for Speaker of the House.