This is the lead in a piece today by Maine columnist George Smith, talking about our Democratic US Senate candidate.
Shenna is a grassroots phenomenon. She led the campaign to re-establish same-day voter registration after the Legislature and governor abolished it, winning a huge victory, 65 to 35 percent. She also led the gay marriage referendum campaign. She’s already been a winner, multiple times.
I believe that is because she has never forgotten her roots, she reveres that Bill of Rights that was on her bedroom wall as a kid, and she has great empathy for those who struggle and knows those struggles firsthand. It is, at the end of the day, all about values for Shenna Bellows.
You may have read about Bellows support for
legalizing marijuana, or her work at the ACLU of Maine against
drones and for cell phone privacy.
“We’re one of two states to require warrants for cell phone access,” she said, emphasizing the fact that she worked with the conservative Maine Heritage Policy Center on that issue. She reminded me that we worked together to defeat the national attempt to establish a “real ID.” And I reminded her about one highlight of our work together, when we defeated Gov. Paul LePage’s ill-considered attempt to keep more of his work secret. The unanimous vote we got on that issue in the Maine Senate tells you all you need to know about how this young woman is able to bring people together.
Columnist Smith is a Republican, and the former head of the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine, the state’s largest sportsmen’s organization. His willingness to give this shout-out to a Democratic U.S. Senate candidate running against is a powerful incumbent is evidence of the respect Bellows has won in Maine politics.
Washington needs coalition-builders. Not builders of coalitions between corporate lobbyists and PACs, but lawmakers who can find common values to unite and move government forward for the greater good. Shenna Bellows has the skills to do this.
Visit the Bellows for Senate website. Watch her video ad and read more about her positions in this earlier diary. Ask questions below in the comments. Rec and share. We need your help to get this great progressive candidate to the U.S. Senate!