Democratic state representative Deqa Dhalac will not run for reelection because of an “increasingly hostile and unsafe” state Legislature, according to ABC affiliate WMTW.
Dhalac’s announcement follows state Republicans calling for her removal from the Legislature’s budget committee because her former employer, Portland-based Gateway Community Services, is embroiled in a scandal over an alleged MaineCare fraud scheme.
Dhalac, one of Maine’s first Somali-American state legislators, has represented House District 120, which includes part of South Portland, since November 2022. Before then, she led South Portland as the country’s first Somali-American mayor.
In December, Dhalac and two other legislative colleagues of Somali descent sent an open letter to President Donald Trump after his attacks on Somali-Americans.
“Throughout my tenure, I have experienced persistent racism, harassment, and threats that reflect a broader national pattern targeting Black and Brown elected officials,” Dhalac told WMTW. “These dangers are real and carry heavy emotional and physical consequences not only for those serving but for their families as well.”
The fraud allegations come amid a barrage of charges out of Minnesota, where a number of Somali immigrants are accused of defrauding the state’s welfare programs.
Dhalac has said she was employed with Gateway for less than a year and was not involved in the company’s billing processes.
“Any accusations that I participated in illegal activities aren’t just unequivocally false – they are also reckless and harmful,” Dhalac said in December. “I take seriously the state’s responsibility to serve as a good steward of taxpayer dollars, and I support the investigation to hold accountable any individuals who misuse public funds.”
