Dear Maine Democrats,

As the new Chair and Vice Chair of your Party, we are writing to introduce ourselves and to reflect on the extraordinary challenge all of us are facing in this moment.  Just weeks into his administration, Donald Trump has handed the keys to the US Treasury to an unelected billionaire and moved forward with plans to upend the operation of countless federal agencies responsible for health care and disease control, protection of workers’ rights, protection of the environment and responding to the impact of climate change, and the list goes on.

If you’re angry and afraid about how Trump and his MAGA Republicans are endangering our future and terrorizing our neighbors, you are not alone.  This is a crisis of historic proportions, and we must fight with all our strength against the pillaging of the federal government.  We intend to lead as best we can in that fight, and we are open to your ideas as we all look for countermeasures that will be effective.

Thanks to Maine Democrats, our State enters this struggle from a position of strength.  Our Governor Janet Mills and Attorney General Aaron Frey are both taking steps to push back in the courts and elsewhere against the frankly lawless actions and orders of Trump and his wealthy, untethered alter ego, Elon Musk.

Democratic majorities in our State Legislature continue to protect the vulnerable and advance economic fairness measures that will survive federal efforts to erase such protections.  And while serving in the minority, our representatives in the US House can speak up and continue to question and object to measures aimed at shredding our social and economic fabric.

However -- if Maine is to continue to serve as a bulwark against the worst excesses of the new federal regime, we must build our capacity to retain our Party’s control of State government in 2026 and beyond, while doing our part to shift control of the US Congress so that it can put the brakes on the unhinged Trump-Musk juggernaut.

In the coming days, we will be back in touch with more comprehensive strategies for resisting the worst of the Republican takeover in Washington while working for an equally historic comeback for a government of and for working people, beginning with the 2026 elections.

Meanwhile, here are some concrete steps you can take right now:

House District 24 Special Election

There will be a special election on Tuesday, February 25th in House District 24 (Bangor, Orono, Veazie, and Brewer).  Democrats hold a slim majority in the Maine House, and we cannot afford to lose a single seat.  Please join us in campaigning for our Democratic candidate, Sean Faircloth, former mayor of Bangor and longtime community advocate.

Phone Banking

Virtual phone banks are happening every Wednesday from 5:00pm to 7:00pm.  Sign up to volunteer HERE.

Door Knocking

We will launch door to door canvasses at 12:00pm on Saturday, Feb. 8th, 15th, and 22nd. Volunteers will meet at Joe’s Market (102 Garland Street, Bangor) for a training session before talking to voters. Sign up to volunteer HERE.

Municipal Candidate Trainings

Our "Run Local" program trains Democrats to run for local office and win. Now more than ever, we need Democrats to stand up and fight for progressive values in their communities.  County commissioner, school board member, town manager, city councilor - these are just a few examples of local roles with a big impact. We are here to support Democrats to help them run smart, successful local campaigns!  For more information, or to sign up for a training, click HERE.

County Committee Meetings

The Maine Democratic Party has active Municipal and County Committees.  If you are looking for a way to get involved, this is a great place to start!  These local Committees work closely with us on volunteer projects and carry out grassroots organizing work in their communities. Find your local committee HERE.

Keep in Touch with Your US Representatives and Senators

Those who represent you in Congress need to hear from you during this unprecedented attack on the fabric of our national government.  Your Democratic Representatives in the House need to know that you want them to speak up and that you are grateful when they do - their staff are wired to tally constituent sentiment and relay it to them as they set priorities in these difficult times for opposition leaders.  Your Senators need to hear from you too - with strong objections when they fail to stand up to authoritarians, and with appreciation when they do.  HERE are the numbers to call (choosing the Congressperson who corresponds to the District where you live)

We want to hear from you! If you have any feedback, questions, comments, concerns, please share them with us HERE.  All messages will be shared with us directly, and any optional identifying information you provide will be shared only with us and Party staff helping us to compile it.

Onward,

Charlie Dingman, Maine Democratic Party Chair
Imke Schessler-Jandreau, Maine Democratic Party Vice Chair