I’m a Democrat, and I couldn’t agree more with much of what Ben Grant admonishes in his Sept. 28 Maine Voices column (“Asking Dill to step aside assumes King is lying about his true intentions”).

I share his stated values and I believe as he does that I am a Democrat because those intrinsic beliefs do not allow me to choose otherwise. I’d throw in something else, too, that he didn’t mention. Since I’m not a politician, I can say without trepidation that a more rational examination of gun laws in this country could save lives without impinging on the perceived sanctity of the Second Amendment.

Cynthia Dill is relatively inexperienced, and her campaign is woefully underfunded. If not for the cynical “support” given her by the Republican Party and its super PAC allies, she’d barely be noticed. I agree with virtually all her positions on the issues, but I’m voting for Angus King.

Like Grant, I think King has squandered much of his lead by hesitating to respond sooner to the barrage of outside money being spent to attack him. He has yet to articulate in much detail his positions on many issues. His campaign to date has been disjointed. The likelihood of Angus effecting any real change in the culture of the Senate is remote.

Angus King is thoughtful, intelligent and honorable. I agree with him on many things, and I am readily willing to compromise some of my values and positions to subvert the possibility that Charlie Summers becomes our next senator. Summers represents a party that considers compromise a dirty word, and views intransigence as a virtue. These are two conditions that Angus King can effectively help change.

Let’s not repeat the mistake we collectively made when we sent Paul LePage to the Blaine House.

David Reid is a resident of Bangor.