[ME-01] Snowstorm reading - Maine workers love Chellie Pingree

(cross-posted at Turn Maine Blue)

Stoke the woodstove, fill the kettle, and – quick before the power goes out – curl up with a great piece on Chellie Pingree over at Union Maine.  They call her a forceful advocate for working families and mention issues like corporate accountability, living wage, family and medical leave, keeping jobs in Maine, fair trade, and fair elections:

I really didn't know enough about the candidate until I read both her biography found here and her voting record found here. The record is impressive. The real measure of a candidate is not what they promise but who they are and what they have done. [...] Andy Stern should be hoping she wins.

(Note for non-Mainers: Chellie Pingree is running for Tom Allen’s seat in the first district as he moves to pry the heinous Susan Collins out of the Senate seat she promised to give up 12 years ago.)

This piece really cheers me up. I met Chellie when I was doing community development lending back in the 90’s and she was the state's senate majority leader. She ran against Susan Collins for the U.S. Senate in 2002, then when on to head Common Cause. I've followed her progress throughout and attended a campaign event or two, both for this House race and the 2002 Collins match. She is IMHO simply a superb candidate – especially after her tour in DC, where she made all those national connections and can hit the ground running. To see her reconnecting back home and impressing the hell out of people who matter, well, let’s just say I’m grinning.

Great closing comment from the Union Maine editor:

As long as this list of accomplishments is, this is only a heavily edited distillation of the record of Chellie Pingree. Read her record, ask yourself "What would Dick Cheney do?" and you will know we should find out all we can about Chellie Pingree.

You can read more about Chellie in WillyRitch’s campaign diary here,  and if so moved by all means make a donation!