Eighteen Maine Senators and 57 Representatives received 100% scores in an annual legislative scorecard by Maine People's Alliance that was released earlier this week. The scorecard highlights legislators’ votes on housing, workers’ rights, child care, immigration, tax fairness and more.

Note: the 400 richest people in the U.S. are now worth a record $6.6 trillion, after getting $1.2 trillion richer over the past 12 months. #BigBeautifulBill #TaxTheRich

Our annual awards dinner is in three days!! If you haven't already bought your tickets, it's not too late! We hope to see you on Thursday, Sept. 18 as we celebrate our wins and recognize the leaders who have been fighting for progress in their communities and across the state!

This fall, we have three great trainings coming up: Strategies for Racial, Economic, and Gender Justice; electoral organizing; and a manager training. We're currently accepting applications and hope to see you at one (or more) of them! Apply here: mainepeoplesalliance.org/trainings/

In an off-kilter move for someone reportedly gearing up to challenge Sen. Collins for her seat, Gov. Mills offered universal praise for Collins’ actions in office. Collins said she was delighted. Esther, Cate and Ben cover this and the broader dynamics of the US Senate race on the podcast this week.

Opinion writer Ben Chin argues that Maine's progressive movement is leading nationally because of...fundamentals! "Fundamentals aren't sexy. But they're the reason campaigns win and big movements succeed," Ben writes. "Year by year, issue by issue, that persistence has built lasting power."

As Palestinians call for a hunger strike in solidarity with Gaza, we urge Susan Collins and Angus King to introduce a Senate version of the Block the Bombs Act. Use the link below to ask them to stop the Trump administration from delivering weapons to Israel and to approve delivery of aid to Gaza!

@mainebeacon.bsky.social As she gears up for a tough midterm race against a progressive challenger in 2026, Sen. Susan Collins is struggling to shake her reputation as a sellout to corporate interests. A new report out last week may make that even more difficult.

@mainebeacon.bsky.social Maine officials say rising costs and the uncertainty of federal policies will lead to higher health insurance premiums starting in 2026. “It’s going to hit people in the wallet.”

Maine’s Clean Elections system gives candidates millions in public funding—freeing them from wealthy donors & giving them more time to meet voters. While most current governor candidates are chasing private money, @strim.bsky.social argues running clean isn’t just ethical, it’s a winning strategy.

Our annual awards dinner is only 10 days away! Have you bought your tickets yet? This is our largest fundraiser of the year and allows us to fund our work through grassroots support so we can connect with more people all over Maine and empower them to be leaders in their communities.

🗓️ Join us tomorrow at 4 PM on a training call to become a Save Maine Absentee Voting Ambassador! Our campaign staff will share easy ways you can chat with voters and spread the word to vote NO on Question 1.

As lot rents rise in mobile home parks, some landlords are pointing to a new state law as the cause. But residents say the hikes began long before and call out the landlords for misrepresenting the law to justify increases. Cities are now considering temporary rent freezes to protect tenants.

Do you want to spend an evening having dinner and great conversation with some of the best activists and leaders in ME? Join us on 9/18 to celebrate these incredible MPA members, elected officials, and allies and the work they do to make ME a more progressive state! Tix: donorbox.org/events/74290...

There are lots of events happening in Maine for Labor Day this weekend! Check out this great roundup in the @mainebeacon.bsky.social by Andy from @maineaflcio.bsky.social!

Opinion Columnist Ethan Strimling calls out Portland’s City Council for secretly accepting federal airport funds tied to ICE compliance, calling the move “unfortunate” compared to Lincoln County’s open rejection of similar money. Click below to read @strim.bsky.social's full column!

The Bangor Advisory Committee on Racial Equity, Inclusion, and Human Rights voted unanimously to recommend to the City Council that the ordinance be adopted! The fight for full adoption continues, but in the current climate, you have to celebrate the small victories when they come.

Sen. Susan Collins was met with boos and 200+ protesters at a Searsport ribbon cutting this morning, forcing it indoors. Demonstrators called out her vote to advance the GOP budget and support for U.S. aid to Israel, chanting “Stop funding genocide.” Click below to read more.

From unconditional military aid to calls for Palestinian statehood, Maine’s delegation is divided on how the U.S. should respond to the genocide in Gaza. Click the link below to read more on where Maine's elected officials stand.

Portland City Council is meeting today at 4 pm to discuss a $20/hr minimum wage!

RSVP here: secure.everyaction.com/OEmUkagr9ESo...

@mainebeacon.bsky.social The genocide in Gaza is one of the worst humanitarian crises in recent history -- Channa Steinmetz looks at Maine's Congressmembers' records on the conflict, and what you can do.

There's plenty Mainers disagree on. Billionaires are terrified we'll figure out what we have in common. #mepolitics #taxfairness #bigbeautifulbill #biguglybill

"Voter turnout in Maine is routinely among the highest of any state in general elections and residents here increasingly rely on absentee voting... The citizen-initiated proposal to mandate voter ID includes a number of changes that would make it harder to do that." This November, vote NO on Q1!

Our largest fundraiser is less than one month away—have you bought your ticket yet? Join us at our annual dinner on Sept. 18 as we recognize + celebrate MPA members, ally organizations, + elected leaders from across the state who have fought hard for progressive values! donorbox.org/events/74290...

New Medicaid work requirements have left many Mainers worried that they’ll lose coverage. Mainers who are older, disabled, or parents of young kids are likely exempt from the new rules, but the confusion itself can discourage people from seeking care. Originally published by @themainemonitor.org.

Our Portland Community Meeting is tonight! Join us from 5:30 to 7:30 to connect with fellow progressives and learn how you can take action with MPA! Snacks and drinks will be provided. RSVP at the link below:

“If I raise tuition, will I lose too many families to stay afloat? If I don’t raise tuition, will I be able to stay afloat?” — Meghann Carrasco, founder and executive director of Seedlings to Sunflowers, a nonprofit childcare provider in Maine Read the full article at the link below!

I’m joining other members of @mainepeople.bsky.social on 24 August, to canvass in Bangor and Brewer against Question 1, a direct attack on Maine’s trusted absentee voting system, which would make it especially difficult for seniors, rural residents, and people with disabilities to vote. Join us!

Social Security, which turns 90 this week, is an economic necessity: The median household nearing retirement has only $10,000 in retirement savings—and nearly half of families have none at all. The Trump administration is putting these essential benefits in danger. We need to protect our checks!

Today marks 90 years of Social Security—and we’re taking a look at Sen. Susan Collins’ record. From voting forward Trump’s new tax bill that is projected to drain $30B a year from the trust funds, to decades of votes undermining the program, her actions have threatened the benefits millions rely on.

Register now! secure.everyaction.com/v-ERMZ066U-0...

Every voter in #Maine has a unique reason for voting by absentee ballot, and every reason is valid. Join us on Monday, August 18th at 6 PM, for a virtual storytelling training to discover how to share your powerful story about why absentee voting is important to you.

Our August member call is tomorrow night at 6 pm! In this call, you will have the opportunity to hear from members like you and MPA staffers will introduce you to the campaigns and projects we are working on, and share opportunities for you to engage in a deep, powerful, and meaningful way. RSVP:

We’re told America is more divided than ever. But it turns out there’s one BIG thing we can all agree on: the ultra-wealthy have stacked the deck against us, and it’s about time our lawmakers did something about that. #mepolitics #taxfairness #bigbeautifulbill #biguglybill

"There is virtually no voter fraud in Maine, but this initiative (Question 1) would create election fraud through voter suppression."

Nearly half of Maine voters rely on absentee voting to make their voices heard in our elections. Save absentee voting in Maine. VOTE NO on Question 1.

This week on the podcast: Susan Collins backs far-right nominees and Trump’s $1B jet, health insurance hikes could hit Maine small businesses by 32%, and Ballot Question 1 threatens absentee voting. Click the link below to listen to the full episode!

Residents of Greater Portland: Join us on Tuesday, August 19 at MPA's Portland office for a community meeting! We're bringing neighbors together to take action, build power, and move MPA's work forward. Learn how you can get involved to create real change! RSVP at the link below.

Our annual awards dinner and celebration is being held on Sept. 18 at our barn in China, ME, and tickets are on sale now! You can buy individual tickets, sponsor a table, and/or buy an ad in our program book—all proceeds benefit MPA and our work. Learn more: donorbox.org/events/74290...

We asked rural Mainers what they thought about tax breaks for the 1%. Here's what they shared with us. #taxfairness #taxfairnessnow #mepolitics

As Trump’s recently-passed budget bill deepens economic inequality, @strim.bsky.social argues Maine municipalities must act now to support working-class residents through tax fairness, wage hikes, and protecting immigrant communities. Click the link below to read Ethan's full column!

Collins voted to confirm Joe Kent, a far-right conspiracy theorist with ties to white nationalists, to lead the National Counterterrorism Center. Kent has falsely claimed the FBI targets conservatives and has called for "federal terrorism charges" against the Black Lives Matter movement.

Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows is refusing to hand over the state’s voter registration list to the U.S. Department of Justice, calling the Trump administration’s sweeping request unconstitutional and a violation of privacy. Click the link below to read the full story!

On the 60th anniversary of Medicare and Medicaid, here's a look at Sen. Susan Collins' long record of voting to cut both programs, raise the retirement age, and block efforts to lower drug prices.

Today is the 60th anniversary of Medicaid + Medicare, the nation’s largest, most popular gov health care programs. But the fed budget bill signed into law by Trump will take coverage away from 10M people, raise premiums for millions more + starve state budgets of federal funding. Read our statement:

Trump and MAGA Republicans have given billionaires a $300,000 tax break, while slashing Medicaid, housing, and food aid. Tomorrow at 8 p.m., join organizers, impacted people, and movement leaders for a livestream that breaks down the truth behind the Big Ugly Bill—and lays out the path to fight back

We asked rural Trump voters and independents what they thought about cutting taxes for billionaires. Here's what they told us. #TaxFairness #TaxFairnessNow #MEPolitics

Sen. Jill Duson’s latest Opinions piece for the Portland Press Herald does an incredible job of explaining why Mainers should vote “No” in November when it comes to the Voter ID referendum. Voting no protects absentee voting! Click the link below to read Sen. Duson’s full column!

This week on the podcast, Ben, Cate + Channa dig into how Pres. Donald Trump’s budget bill injects roughly $170 billion into immigration + border enforcement with minimal oversight, while creating new barriers to legal immigration. It also weakens + erodes protections for children and immigrants.