As a transplant to Maine who has lived, worked and raised her children in this beautiful state for the past four years, I was terribly disappointed to see Susan Collins re-elected to the U.S. Senate. I was one of the many women who called her repeatedly ahead of the Brett Kavanaugh confirmation and felt profoundly hurt both by her decision to confirm him and the attitude of her staffers who were condescending and rude when I called her offices communicating my views.

Her vote for the corporate tax cut and her repeated refusals to credibly stand up to Trump showed her disdain for the working class in Maine and her lack of character. Her campaign explicitly embraced nativism and xenophobia albeit via the grandfatherly tone of Bill Greene. The message the two of them sent, that people “from away” should not be able to represent Maine, was heard loud and clear by transplants such as myself and its success is disappointing to say the least.

How do we earn the right to meaningfully engage in civic issues in Maine if our residency does not confer that right in the eyes of our fellow residents?

Margaret Ray
South Portland

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