About Nicole

I was raised in Ellsworth and continue to call Hancock County home, drawn by our vibrant community and the beautiful waters, mountains, coast, and woods that make Maine special. I work as a cartographer for a Maine small business and volunteer with Meals on Wheels and Green Ellsworth.

In my first term serving as State Senator for most of Hancock County and my two terms serving in the House of Representatives before that, I have been a fierce advocate for Maine people and our shared environment. I've worked hard to improve life here at home, including voting to:

• Guarantee healthcare access for people with preexisting conditions, end surprise medical bills, and rein in Big Pharma

• Lower your cost of living by increasing the homestead exemption and property tax fairness credit

• Better fund our schools, increase teacher pay, and support career and technical education

• Invest in infrastructure like roads, bridges, drinking water, broadband, and housing

• Protect the sustainability of our marine resources and the livelihoods of the people who depend on them

• Support veterans and first responders

• Grow our clean energy economy

• Tackle PFAS, lead, and arsenic poisoning of our land and water

It has been a true honor to bring the ideas and stories of so many constituents to the State House through my hard work and dedication in public office these past five years. I am proud of the advancements the Legislature has made for Maine people through our policies and efforts to work together, regardless of where we are from or our personal beliefs.

Mainers continue to need creative, collaborative, and hard-working leaders advocating for positive change that will affect us here at home. I have been and will continue to be a voice for our region in Augusta, listening to your concerns and taking action.

I hope you'll allow me to build on what I've accomplished so far to improve life for people here at home and across our great state. Let’s make Maine a more prosperous and healthy place for people of all ages and backgrounds – we’re all in this together.

Biographical Highlights

• Daughter of Jackie Grohoski, school nurse, and Ed Grohoski, electrician and Vietnam Veteran

• Worked in her father's small business as a licensed helper electrician

• Cartographer and GIS Specialist making maps for Maine small business

• Wilderness First Responder and former volunteer firefighter

• Meals on Wheels driver

• Aided in disaster response mapping in Haiti

• Ran cross-country at EHS with (and far behind) Hon. Louie Luchini

• First woman to paddle the 740-mile Northern Forest Canoe Trail and former NFCT Board Member

• Maine Master Naturalist

• Co-author of two books

• Whitewater Nationals Canoe Champion

• Middlebury College Graduate (Chemistry, Environmental Studies)

• Proud parent of rescue dog, Roxy

• Ate 16 cake donuts to win college record

Issues

Affordable Healthcare

Affordable and accessible healthcare for all Mainers will not only help us live longer and happier lives and tackle the opioid crisis, it will improve our economy by adding good-paying jobs, keeping our rural hospitals open, and supporting our small business entrepreneurs.

Jobs

We must support our economy and the small businesses we depend on by investing in transportation and high-speed internet infrastructure. Workforce training and affordable higher education are necessary to help Mainers adjust to the changing job market, as we build a more resilient and robust economy.

Education

We must invest in education for students of all ages. We need to: support early childhood development by funding Pre-K programs, maintain state aid for K-12 education, improve career and technical education programs for high schoolers, and bolster adult education and workforce training programs.

Environment

A healthy environment sustains its people. We can save money while protecting our natural resources, through better waste management and local energy generation. Protecting our ecosystems is especially important in Downeast Maine, where we rely heavily on marine resources and tourism for our livelihoods.

Property Taxes

Whether you own or rent, your housing costs are a significant expense. We can reduce property taxes and rental costs by maintaining municipal revenue sharing for fire, police, and roads; funding our schools; and further improving the property tax programs that benefit Maine residents.

Energy Costs

With the right policies, can generate clean, renewable energy here in Maine at a lower cost than we currently pay for energy. Generating more of our power locally and affordably will create good construction jobs, attract young workers, and encourage economic investment by large energy users.