Beacon
Reposted from the Maine Beacon
With Primary Day 2024 behind us, my humble brag is that I got nine of 12 predictions correct in my Beacon column last week.
My less humble brag, truth be told, is that, far from some deep analytical dive into persuadable percentages, I basically just picked the more progressive (or less right-wing-nutty) option for each prediction. People like to vote for a winner, so it was my small way to help, because no doubt my column made all the difference.
In all seriousness, I am thankful at how well progressives did last week, if not surprised. It is getting clearer by the day that Maine’s electorate wants a government that works for, invests in, and protects people over profit, hate, and corporate power.
With pro-choice Democrat Cassie Julia’s win in Waterville, we learned that even in a conservative Democratic stronghold, being against the right to abortion is bad for your political health, as Julia easily defeated the popular anti-choice incumbent Democratic Rep. Bruce White. We also saw powerful movement building with Planned Parenthood, Equality Maine, and Maine People’s Alliance (of which the Beacon is a project), joining forces to support Julia.
In Portland, while both Herb Adams and Yusef Yusef were progressive, voters clearly made a statement against the xenophobia pervasive in the Republican party. Yusef, who won by 25 points, has been in the country just 15 years, having fled the civil war in Somalia. He represents everything Republicans hate in that he shows what immigration creates—young entrepreneurs strengthening our economy and enhancing our community.
Additionally, when Yusef is sworn in (there is no Republican running in this district), Portland’s delegation will be 30% people of color. A first for us, and a longtime coming for the state.
In Cape Elizabeth, newcomer Michelle Boyer won. By almost all accounts, the difference in this race was the forceful endorsement by outgoing incumbent Rep. Rebecca Millett, a trusted progressive voice. Also of note, by far the most conservative Democrat in the race (I think she would agree), former state Sen. Cynthia Dill came in third.
In the Midcoast, on races I didn’t predict, we got some of our best news of the night when two transphobes who had voted to repeal LGBTQ+ protections were replaced by pro-equality school board candidates. This small step in the battle for trans rights will save lives and hopefully the RSU 40 school board will move quickly to reverse the June 7 decision to eliminate local rules protecting trans students.
In Kennebunk, short-term rental restrictions won overwhelmingly. Maybe we are turning a corner in Maine and will actually start to reverse the damage Airbnb has done to our long-term housing market.
Even on the Republican side, there were slivers of hope. Two state legislator GOP incumbents were ousted by challengers. While neither really lost because they were too right-wing (their opponents will likely be just as bad), one lost because he never showed up for the job while still cashing his paycheck. It is good to see Republicans caring about work ethic in their elected leaders, especially since Donald Trump averaged 95 paid vacation days a year as president.
In the biggest race of the night, while I thought the GOP base would reward Mike Soboleski for his crazy conspiracy theories (jailing Dr. Anthony Fauci and that Trump won in 2020), I am glad I was wrong on this one. And while the guy who won, Austin Theriault, is certainly no reasonable Republican like Olympia Snowe or Bill Cohen (he’s an anti-abortion gun nut who was pushed by Trump afterall), he did once vote for safe injection sites and to decriminalize sex work. Hope?
Anyway, lots to appreciate from Primary Day 2024 in Maine. Onward to the general.
Ethan Strimling served for 10 years as the progressive mayor and state senator representing Portland. He also spent 19 years as the executive director of LearningWorks, a social service agency helping to break the generational cycle of poverty through education. Currently, he is a community organizer for progressive causes around the country, an active member of Maine DSA, and one third of the podcast “In The Arena” with Pat Callaghan and Phil Harriman.
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