Endorsements
2026 U.S. Senate Primary Endorsement
The member-led board of directors of Maine People’s Alliance has announced that it has voted unanimously to endorse Graham Platner in his primary run to face Sen. Susan Collins as the Democratic candidate for the 2026 U.S. Senate race.
MPA Board Co-Chair Gina Morin (they/them) said, “Listening to [Platner] during interviews and town halls, it is clear that he addresses the critical issues affecting our country and, specifically, Maine. He speaks directly to the reality that the top 1 percent are hoarding wealth while the middle class and the poor are left to go without. He has also addressed the need to fix the same issues we have been working on for years, such as health care affordability, the housing crisis, and immigrant rights. His activism drove him to seek this office out of frustration. His values and dedication are what align him with the Maine People’s Alliance.”
Additionally, Platner has been active and vocal in resisting ICE’s presence here in Maine and has been calling on our members of Congress to do more to protect everyone—in Maine and across the country—from ICE’s violent, racist tactics.
Platner, an oyster farmer and veteran from Sullivan, has been an active member of MPA’s Penobscot County chapter, helping us hold Sen. Susan Collins accountable to constituents. Last winter, he joined fellow MPA members in Washington, D.C., in a march to protect access to health care. Shortly after this, he began organizing locally in Hancock County, helping build grassroots power closer to home.
MPA Board Member Shaun Donnelly (he/him) said it’s clear that Platner is “grounded in the real challenges facing everyday Mainers because he faces them himself. Graham names the oligarchy and corporate greed as the true enemies of progress in Washington, and he understands that the only way to defeat them…is through grassroots organizing. His personal story of finding purpose through his community and activism has the power to inspire many who may feel angry, disconnected, or hopeless about politics. Graham is a talented leader whose values, vision, and strategy are aligned with the mission of Maine People’s Alliance.”
Endorsement announced February 4, 2026
2026 Gubernatorial Primary Endorsement
The member-led board of directors of Maine People’s Alliance has announced that it has voted unanimously to endorse Secretary of State Shenna Bellows in her run to be the Democratic candidate for the 2026 Governor’s race.
“We’re so excited to make this endorsement,” says MPA board co-chair Gina Morin of Auburn. “MPA works to make sure that Maine is a place where everyone gives what they can so we can all have what we need to thrive. And Shenna Bellows came from incredibly humble beginnings to become a person who gives more of herself than we can describe. She’s been a champion of women, children, people with low incomes, older people, and workers. She’s stood up to bullies, defended the rights of marginalized people, and shown us what good government looks like.”
Bellows, who grew up in a low-income family in rural Hancock County, has worked for decades to ensure that all Mainers – regardless of who they are, where they live or how much money they have in the bank – have equal access to what our state has to offer.
Bellows responded to MPA’s endorsement by saying: “I’m proud to earn the endorsement of an organization that has fought tirelessly for the rights of Mainers. Together we’ve championed a variety of issues, from protecting our democracy and voting rights to expanding access to health care coverage. I’m grateful for their support as we work to build a Maine where everyone has the tools and opportunity they need to prosper.”
Endorsement announced May 8, 2025
Campaign Vote! Process
MPA Campaign Vote!, the political action committee of MPA and its 32,000 members, has based its endorsements on candidates’ stances on issues our members care about, including the democratic process, education, the environment, equalizing opportunity for Mainers, gun safety, health and care, housing, justice reform, labor, income, taxes, and transportation.
Every election cycle, MPA makes endorsements for candidates in races for the Maine legislature. True to MPA’s way of doing things, it’s not a top-down process: It’s led by a team of MPA members.
Here’s how it works: Members of the Campaign Vote! team create a detailed questionnaire for candidates to fill out. They then interview many candidates about their positions on issues, motivation for seeking office, and plans for waging an effective campaign. After exhaustively reviewing candidates’ responses, the Campaign Vote! team makes recommendations for our member-led board of directors to approve. The board then votes on whether or not to approve them.