Maine People’s Alliance Announces Endorsements in 50+ State Races

July 25, 2024

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Maine People’s Alliance (MPA) is proud to announce its Campaign Vote! endorsements for the November 2024 elections. The MPA board has voted to endorse 54 candidates for state office, including 13 Senate candidates and 41 candidates for the House. Further endorsements may follow soon.

The current Legislature has made great strides towards creating a better world for all—such as enacting Paid Family and Medical Leave and passing housing reforms—while holding the line against regressive bills that would have undermined reproductive freedom, public education, and the rights of Maine workers. We know these 54 candidates will continue this good work and make even more progress for our state.

Each of these candidates is aligned with MPA’s world view and has committed to champion the issues that affect Mainers across the state. Rather than seeking to divide us based on the color of our skin or how much we have in the bank, as some elected officials continue to do, these candidates have promised to fight for all Mainers and make sure our voices are heard in Augusta. This includes a willingness to challenge wealthy, powerful special interests in order to build a society where everyone has what they need and contributes what they can and no one is left behind.  

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. 

After completing a detailed questionnaire, candidates are interviewed by the Campaign Vote! team about their positions on issues, motivation for seeking office, and plans for waging an effective campaign. The team then makes recommendations for our member-led board of directors to approve. 

The majority of these candidates are incumbents, says James Parakilas (he/him), one of the MPA member leaders of the Campaign Vote! team. 

“MPA volunteers and staff worked closely with progressives in Augusta during the last session, supporting their remarkable accomplishments. We are thankful for their work and proud to support their reelection. Now, these incumbents will put the invaluable knowledge they have learned about the legislative process to work addressing needs that are still unmet. We look forward to continuing our work together in the 132nd session.”

Campaign Vote! is also enthusiastically endorsing a remarkable group of progressive candidates making their first bids for seats in the Legislature. Shaun Donnelly (he/him), another Campaign Vote! team leader, says the first-time candidates “will bring fresh energy and the perspectives of a new generation. They are taking on the challenges of running for office and serving in the Legislature, often at a time in their lives when their careers and families are already making great demands on them.” 

Endorsements will be updated at mainepeoplesalliance.org/endorsements/.

List of endorsements: 

SD3 Ethan Brownell

SD8 Mike Tipping

SD9 Joseph Baldacci

SD12 Anne “Pinny” Beebe-Center

SD19 Bruce Bryant

SD20 Bettyann Sheats

SD21 Peggy Rotundo

SD24 Denise Tepler

SD27 Jill Duson

SD28 Rachel Talbot Ross

SD33 Dan Lauzon

SD34 Joseph E. Rafferty

SD35 Mark Lawrence

HD6 Melanie Tompkins

HD13 J. Mark Worth

HD14 Gary Friedmann

HD16 Nina Milliken

HD21 Ambureen Rana

HD22 Laura Supica

HD23 Amy Roeder

HD25 Laurie Osher

HD37 Scott Cuddy

HD41 Vicki Doudera

HD42 Valli Geiger

HD48 Holly B. Stover

HD51 Rafael Macias

HD55 Dan Shagoury

HD57 Tavis Hasenfus

HD67 Matthew Townsend

HD74 Greg Kimber

HD81 Joan Beal

HD93 Julie McCabe

HD94 Kristen Cloutier

HD98 Kilton Webb

HD99 Cheryl A. Golek

HD100 Dan Ankeles

HD101 Poppy Arford

HD103 Art Bell

HD106 Doris Poland

HD107 Jane P. Pringle

HD109 Ellie Sato

HD114 Dylan Pugh

HD116 Sam Zager

HD122 Matthew Beck

HD123 Michelle Boyer

HD125 Kelly Noonan Murphy

HD127 Morgan Rielly

HD128 Suzanne Salisbury

HD131 Lori K. Gramlich

HD132 Ryan Fecteau

HD133 Marc Malon

HD135 Dan Sayre

HD141 Patricia E. “Patty” Kidder

HD151 Kristi Mathieson

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Maine People’s Alliance (MPA) was founded in Lewiston in 1982 and has grown to be the largest community organization in Maine, and one of the largest in the country. MPA is a powerful grassroots network of more than 32,000 members who work together on issues that include but are not limited to climate change, toxics use reduction, health care access, affordable housing, racial justice, and immigrant rights.

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Contact: Kate Gardner, [email protected]