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As one of the many volunteers on the Graham Platner campaign, I am writing to express my profound disappointment with the Democratic Party’s orchestrated hit job against a political movement that elected Graham with the largest turnout in Maine history. At that point in the race, it should have been left up to the voters of Maine to decide on Graham’s moral character, not the elites in Washington, D.C., and Augusta. 

That being said, it is how our movement goes forward that matters now. We believe in Graham’s vision of what this country could be with the right policies and the right grasp of how to wield power effectively. Any senatorial candidate who expects to gain the support of our movement must endorse Graham’s platform, and not just with lip service but with genuine commitment.

They should support healthcare as a right, support for workers over billionaires, ending forever wars and truly supporting our veterans, quality public education for all, SCOTUS reform, getting money out of politics, environmental justice and seriously addressing the climate crisis.

The vision for the future that these policies address is what created this movement and it does not go forward without a candidate who shares this vision. I will be watching the current slate of candidates closely to see who steps up and truly earns my support, not only by endorsing
 the platform but by also showing me that they have a strategy for wielding power that will make them effective once they get to Washington.

George Gartley
Presque Isle