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Lisa Marin is a retired public school teacher who lives in Washington County. She is chair of the Washington County Democrats.

I am a proud retired public school art teacher who spent 23 years in the classroom. For many of those years, I also served as president of the Jonesport-Beals teachers union because I believed then, and still believe now, that working people deserve a voice and someone willing to fight for them.

Today, I’m a mom of two adult children building their lives here in Maine and chair of the Washington County Democrats. But before any title, I was simply part of this community, raising kids, working in our schools and seeing firsthand what people sacrifice just to get by.

That’s why, as this governor’s race takes shape, I keep coming back to one question: who is focused on making life easier for working Mainers? People are worried about grocery bills, heating costs, whether children will be able to afford to stay in Maine and whether retirement is becoming something farther out of reach.

In Washington County, we know hard work. This is a place built by fishermen, farmers, teachers, tradespeople and families who keep showing up. People here aren’t looking for promises or political theater. They want practical leadership that understands their lives and respects the work they do.

That’s why I’m opposed to Bobby Charles for governor. I believe his approach would move Maine in the wrong direction at exactly the wrong time.

Living in rural Maine already comes with challenges. Access to healthcare is becoming harder. Hospitals are struggling, and even a routine appointment can mean hours of travel and time away from work. And many families in this county depend on MaineCare.

When politicians like Charles talk about cutting eligibility, they rarely talk about what that means in real life. It means someone delaying treatment because they can’t afford the bill, parents hoping an illness improves on its own and families facing impossible choices when they can’t afford care. Cutting MaineCare would make life harder for people who are already stretched thin.

Democrats are trying to focus on the issues that actually shape daily life and make it more affordable to live here. That work isn’t always easy, especially when national policies and economic uncertainty drive up costs for Maine families and businesses.

But adding more strain to working people isn’t the answer.

Bobby Charles supports Donald Trump and his policies, and I worry that means bringing the same priorities here at a time when Mainers need something different: stability, affordability and leadership that puts everyday people first.

We need a governor who sees rural communities as places worth investing in, who understands that affordable healthcare is essential to a strong economy, and recognizes that strong unions help build strong communities.

Working people deserve a governor who will fight for them and focus on making life more affordable. Bobby Charles is not that governor.