There’s no love lost in the race for Cumberland County District Attorney.

Former County DA Stephanie Anderson is running in next month’s election against incumbent Jackie Sartoris.

Anderson says Sartoris has failed miserably to secure public trust and public safety from crime.

“That’s why I’m running,” said Anderson. “I was approached by so many people, including lifelong Democrats, most defense attorneys, and prior supporters of Jackie, to take this office back because, frankly, this has been a failed Soros-funded experiment.”

Liberal billionaire George Soros was reported to have indirectly funneled $300,000 to the Maine Justice & Public Safety PAC, which backed Sartoris in 2022 when she beat Democratic district attorney Jonathan Sahrbeck in the primary.

(Former Cumberland County DA Stephanie Anderson)

For her part, Sartoris says she’s had to clean up failures under Anderson’s term as DA (prior to 2019), particularly enforcing quality of life crimes like urinating in public and drug use.

Sartoris also says Anderson oversaw the DA’s office when hundreds of rape kits were recklessly discarded.

“That is inconsistent with good public policy,” said Sartoris. “And frankly, rape victims deserved better from Stephanie Anderson. And I am making sure that we do this work better going forward.”

(Cumberland County DA Jackie Sartoris)

The two candidates sparred during a forum on the WGAN Morning News Tuesday, noticeably displaying an acute dislike for each other.

Anderson served as Cumberland County’s district attorney for nearly 30 years, from 1990 until she stepped down in 2018. She served as a Republican but is now running as a Democrat in left-leaning Cumberland County and Portland.

During her tenure, she implemented several “firsts” for Maine, including:

• Maine’s first Juvenile Unit (focused on rehabilitation)
• Maine’s first Domestic Violence Unit
• First Human Trafficking prosecutor in Maine
• Maine’s first Drug Court for non‑violent offenders

Sartoris was elected as DA in 2022. Prior to that time, she worked in the Kennebec County DA’s Office and served four years on the Brunswick Town Council

She has been recognized for expanding restorative justice programs, securing a $2.5 million federal grant to test stored sexual assault kits, and creating a Sex Crimes Prosecution Team.

Sartoris and Anderson will face off in next month’s general election.