Putting Maine First - June 24, 2019

GIDEON: It all started with one of these. You remember those days? I walked through the door with my five- and four-year old boys and one-year old little girl. I pressed that blinking answering machine button and heard a message left for my husband Ben. It said they knew he was probably too busy with work but would he consider running for the town council? I thought to myself, actually, I think that's a job I can do, and somewhere I could make a difference. So I ran for that office and won. Whether it's been on the town council, as a state representative or as Maine's speaker of the House, I've learned that if you listen and if you are willing to work with others, it's still possible to get things done. That's what we did to expand job training programs, protect health care coverage for seniors and people with pre-existing conditions, and to help control the cost of prescription drugs. And when someone tries to get in the way or get me to back down, I stand up to them. Remember this guy? For too long Paul LePage tried to stand in the way of getting things done in Maine. When I proposed expanding access to a life-saving drug for people overdosing from opioids, Governor LePage vetoed my bill. So what did I do? I brought Democrats and Republicans together to override the governor's veto and do what was right for Maine. Because getting things done for Mainers is what we're elected to do not falling in line behind the demands of someone else. It doesn't matter if that person is Paul LePage, Mitch McConnell or Donald Trump. That's why today I'm announcing my campaign to take on Susan Collins. Susan Collins has been in the Senate for 22 years. And at one point, maybe she was different than some of the other folks in Washington, but she doesn't seem that way anymore. Voting for a $1.5 trillion-dollar tax cut where almost all of the benefits went to corporations and the wealthy.

VIDEO CLIP OF PRESIDENT TRUMP: Susan Collins we want to thank. Susan's around someplace. Susan? Thank you, Susan.

GIDEON: Taking over a million dollars from drug companies and the insurance industry.

VIDEO CLIP OF SENATOR MITCH MCCONNELL: Senator Collins will be well funded, I can assure you.

GIDEON: And Susan Collins vote to put Brett Kavanaugh on the Supreme Court may be paying off for her, but it's put women's control over their own health care decisions in extreme jeopardy.

VIDEO CLIP OF MCCONNELL: Senator Collins was outstanding.

GIDEON: Sometimes I think back on the day that I heard that message and decided to run for office. Our kids are definitely bigger now, but today once again I know I can make a difference. So join our campaign. Together we'll make sure we have a senator who's putting Maine first.