Maine Candidate for Congress Apologizes for Comments Depicting Sexual Violence

A candidate for Congress in Maine is apologizing after criticism over some very inflammatory language.

A warning, some readers may find the following remarks disturbing.

During an event in support of Maine’s lobster industry on Wednesday, Ed Thelander, a Republican running in the state’s 1st Congressional District, said “NOAA wants to rape you and your family and they’re saying pick a child,” and “you don’t negotiate with rapists.”

Several hours later, at a debate hosted by Maine Public and the Portland Press Herald, Thelander said he regretted the way he phrased his attack on the federal agency embroiled in a battle with Maine officials and lobstermen over regulations to protect endangered North Atlantic right whales.

“My comments were over the top and I apologize for that, I’m very passionate about it. I love, love those families,” he said.

For people like Casey Corcoran, Director of Prevention, Outreach and Education at the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center, who advocate for people who’ve experienced sexual violence, the remarks are seen as a disservice to both rape survivors and the fishing industry they were meant to show support for.

"The use of the term rape invoking children was meant to be shocking and sexual violence is shocking, but we minimize the real impacts of sexual violence when we make these false comparisons," he said, adding "this isn’t helpful."

Politically, observers of Maine politics like Phil Harriman, a Republican analyst for outlets like NBC affiliate, NEWS CENTER Maine, say the words were inappropriate and a mistake, even if they also drew attention to Thelander and lobstering.

"It’s unfortunate it was even said," said Harriman, explaining that he believes "people expect those in public office to represent their constituents in a way that is diplomatic and respectful."

Harriman also noted, that, unlike other political figures who have made bombastic, crude remarks like President Trump, Thelander struck a different tone by saying he regretted what he said and does not have a track record of similar comments.

"I think the fact he owned up to it and apologized is what people would expect," he said.

As for an impact on how people in Maine’s 1st District will vote, Harriman believes that remains to be seen, though Thelander faces incumbent U.S. Representative Chellie Pingree, who has won every race in the district for her seat since 2008.

As for Corcoran, he said that he "would be interested to see how [Thelander] takes the learning from this incident and uses it."

"If a candidate wants to understand the impact of these sorts of comments on survivors of sexual violence, they should take the time to understand what their concerns are and what these impacts are because from what we know from working with survivors at BARCC, this minimizes their experience and it makes them believe that our representatives don’t understand the issue," he explained.

NECN/NBC 10 Boston did not receive an immediate response from Thelander's campaign after sending a request for comment to a representative over e-mail.

Resources for victims of sexual assault are available through the National Sexual Violence Resources Center and the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline at 800-656-4673.