AUBURN — After losing a City Council race last year, Democrat Stefanie Mahr Damien of Auburn is running to represent state House District 88.

Stefanie Mahr Damien Submitted photo

Rep. Kathy Shaw, a Democrat, is not seeking reelection after her first term in office.

Damien will face Republican Quentin Chapman in the Nov. 5 general election.

Describing herself as far from a cookie-cutter candidate, she said she aims to work collaboratively and in a bipartisan manner in Augusta to develop “successful solutions for the challenges facing the people of Maine.”

Damien, who owns an interior design business, said in a prepared statement that she “understands the challenges of making ends meet with the high costs of housing, food, and energy.”

In announcing her candidacy, Damien said she is “committed to listening to the concerns and needs” of the people of Auburn, whose values she said she shares.

As a caregiver to older family members, she said she knows about the challenges faced by Auburn seniors. She said he’s a trained senior move manager who helps downsizing seniors figure out what to keep and how to get rid of the rest without throwing it in a dumpster.

As a parent, she said she understands the desire to ensure a quality education for Auburn’s children.

“Stefanie knows firsthand the difficulty and costs of accessing healthcare and the importance of women’s healthcare services,” her campaign statement said.

“Further, Stefanie understands the reality of climate change right here in Maine and the need for renewable energy alternatives,” it said.

Damien, who has 55 hours of student pilot time, took more than two years of classes at Ohio State University and a few human resources classes at Northeastern University in Boston.

She is a member of the Lewiston Auburn Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, the Auburn Business Association and the Woman’s Literary Union. She is a past president of BNI Business Networking International Wealth Builders in Auburn.

She and her husband, Steve, have purchased, renovated and built homes in Maine that are energy-efficient, accessible and affordable.