Amy Fried

@asfried

Political scientist, kayaker Emeritus, UMaine Political Sightlines at Books on how U.S. conservatives weaponized distrust, New England politics, professionalizing polling, and perceptions of public opinion as a resource

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Amy Fried@asfried· 17d

You know, people who say that Troy Jackson is benefitting from Graham Platner's movement have it backwards. Platner was helped by what Troy was part of and helped build. #mepolitics

Amy Fried@asfried· 17d

Signs at the Maine Democratic Senate nominating convention include “No More Concerns” and “Retire Susan,” along with many Troy Jackson signs. #mepolitics

Amy Fried@asfried· 23d

Wikipedia has Troy Jackson's high school yearbook pics and activities. #mepolitics

Troy Jackson's high school yearbook page.

Amy Fried@asfried· Jun 20

Check out these two from the Queens Daily Eagle.

"Queens men meet" regarding President Trump and Mayor Mamdani.

Amy Fried@asfried· Jun 15

This is truly stupid political idea. Platner is the nominee. He’d have to withdraw to be replaced. I don’t see him doing that now and he wouldn’t do it to put in the most conservative House Dem. And many ME Dems are pissed off w/Golden. (News from Puck, can’t read the whole thing.) #mepolitics

Rumors swirled that Jared Golden is being recruited to vote for Senate as new scandals plague Platner.

Amy Fried@asfried· Jun 10

The BDN has 100% of the vote in. Big news: Dunlap is now in second place. But, as I've said before when Wood was in second, either Dunlap or Wood could be the candidate going up against first place finisher Baldacci. It all hinges on who the 6549 Loud voters ranked after her. #mepolitics

Results of ME-2 Dem primary. Baldacci: 19,242; Dunlap 18,535; Wood 18,080; Loud 6,591

Amy Fried@asfried· Jun 4

#mepolitics

In a private chat group last summer, months before Mr. Platner acknowledged the tattoo himself, Ms. Fifield told friends that her ex-boyfriend-turned-Senate candidate “has a Nazi tattoo on his chest.”

“It’s a Totenkopf,” she told them on Aug. 20, according to a screenshot she shared with The Times. “An actual one.”

Amy Fried@asfried· May 27

Amy Fried@asfried· May 13

There’s an ME-2 Dem debate tonight at 6 PM sponsored by the Wabanaki Alliance. It’s in Presque Isle and will be streamed on their FB page. #mepolitics

Amy Fried@asfried· Apr 29

This union already endorsed Platner and I think donated to him, but it’s commending Mills for her veto. No pay to play there! Sometimes there’s common views on policy even among those who disagree on other issues.

Electrical workers’ union letter supporting Mills for her veto of data center moratorium,

Amy Fried@asfried· Apr 29

Here’s the IBEW’s letter commending Mills for her veto of the data center moratorium bill, presented for informational purposes. #mepolitics

Maine International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers union letter supporting Gov. Mills’ veto of AI data center moratorium bill.

Amy Fried@asfried· Apr 16

Hubbie has a cold so he gets homemade chicken matzoh ball soup!

Amy Fried@asfried· Apr 14

We aren't going to end Citizens United because we lost the opportunity for generations when Trump won and filled Scalia's seat. Bernie couldn't win the nomination mathematically but he stayed in and caused increasing animus from his backers.

2016 Dem primaries. Clinton about 17 million votes. Sanders 13.2 million votes.

Amy Fried@asfried· Apr 8

Note this letter in the Press Herald on Platner, saying he's "not ready for prime time" and focusing on his lack of experience and policy substance, along with his "vile comments." #mepolitics

Graham Platner is not ready for prime time

The vile comments Graham Platner made re-victimizing women, as well as his disparaging statements about the “stupidity” of rural folk and alleged ignorance of Nazi symbolism — from only 12 years ago — are certainly of deep concern.What is of greater concern, though, is that people have dismissed these comments in favor of his self-professed “change” declaration by merely accepting an apology. Based on what?

What I see — and I have looked carefully at his “platform” and remarks, as should you — are no corresponding actions that indicate how he has changed or evidence of the changes he has allegedly made. Is an unsubstantiated apology enough to gain the trust and confidence of fellow citizens especially during this time of disastrous upheaval? It shouldn’t be.

Yes, his online “platform” and campaign speeches offer words of rage shared by many, but little substance. Resolutions he proposes are either naïve, lacking in substance or just plain incorrect. The idea for a medical school as a mechanism for increasing the number of rural doctors was recently nixed as costly and ineffective: increasing residences is far more productive. A recent ad holding Big Pharma responsible for rural hospital closures is wrong: look instead at Medicaid reimbursement rates.

His lack of any political experience coupled with an absence of practicable reforms of how to confront the severity of the issues this state and this country face during the most divisive times in recent memory should leave all of us with grave concerns.The U.S. Senate is not a place to practice leadership and ideas.

Luisa S. Deprez
Cape Elizabeth

Amy Fried@asfried· Mar 31

Account says a good poll for Graham Platner "will drive the Bluesky pearl clutchers out of their minds," providing a "enough reason for vote for him."

Amy Fried@asfried· Mar 17

Note that Platner also made comments discounting coverups of sexual assault in the military. Here's the quote in an oped by a veteran who calls the sentiments "abhorent." Platner says that he's a different person now. #mepolitics www.bangordailynews.com/2025/10/31/o...

Quote from Graham Platner: “In today’s current climate, when every whisper of a misplaced hand brings down a feature length film, anyone who actually thinks the military is purposefully covering up rape to save the career of some god damn [captain], is clearly both an idiot and junior enough in rank or life experience to think it matters.”

Amy Fried@asfried· Feb 24

The D/Rs are very similar for both but the indie %s are very different at times.

cross tabs show 42% registered unenrolled for Dunlap for 68% independents for him.

Amy Fried@asfried· Jan 26

The NYT published this the other day and I had to save it. They're packing boxes of food for immigrant families who are afraid to go to the grocery store.

Amy Fried@asfried· Jan 21

What is going on? #mepolitics

Amy Fried@asfried· Jan 16

Anyone who says ICE is only going after criminals or only people in the U.S. illegally or only noncitizens is ignorant or lying. Check out what happened to this Maine woman. #mepolitics www.pressherald.com/2026/01/15/h...

"One Maine mother who was detained by ICE and transported to Louisiana tried to no avail to communicate to agents that she is a U.S.-born citizen and had papers to prove it, Saciid-Siice said. After family members presented identification ranging from passport to birth certificate, ICE officials still did not release her."

Amy Fried@asfried· Jan 15

Right on, Matt Dunlap. #mepolitics

Amy Fried@asfried· Dec 25

Explains how CostPlusDrugs figure its prices. "Our prices are the true cost to get each medication from the manufacturer to you. We cut out the pharmacy middlemen and negotiate directly with manufacturers to get the best possible price. Then, we show you exactly how much you’ll pay for us to keep our business running and how much it will cost to prepare and ship your prescription."

Amy Fried@asfried· Dec 4

This is what the progressive Speaker of the House Rachel Talbot Ross said about Mills signing LD2007. She called the bill "meaningful progress." #mepolitics

“I thank the Governor and the Tribes for their work on this bill,” said Speaker of the House Rachel Talbot Ross. “LD 2007 is the product of the time, resources, and commitment of many people, and it represents meaningful progress in the important and ongoing effort of partnership and collaboration with the Wabanaki people that has the support of Mainers from all over the state.”

Amy Fried@asfried· Nov 19

You're also wrong about the process for filling a Senate term in Maine when the senator dies or resigns.

To fill the term of a deceased U.S. Senator in Maine, the Governor first makes a temporary appointment. A special election is then held to choose a successor for the remainder of the unexpired term, unless the vacancy occurs less than 60 days before a primary election, in which case the new nominee is chosen at the next regular primary.
Governor's appointment: The Governor of Maine will appoint a qualified person to serve temporarily. The 17th Amendment allows states to empower their governors to make these appointments to fill a vacancy until an election can be held.
Special election: A special election is held to fill the seat for the rest of the term. The process for scheduling this election is determined by Maine law, as directed by the 17th Amendment.
Timing of the election:
If the vacancy occurs 60 days or more before a regular primary election, nominees for the special election must be chosen at that primary.
If the vacancy occurs less than 60 days before a regular primary, the new nominee is chosen at the next regular primary following that date.
Election outcome: The winner of the special election will serve for the remainder of the unexpired term

Amy Fried@asfried· Nov 8

Golden can't win a Dem primary now, could run as an indie sometime. He's been so disingenuous, making up straw men to argue against like him claiming that critics in the district were dark money denizens. And his statement about what the majority supports describes Matt Dunlap yet he disses him.

Jared Golden wrote:The overwhelming majority recognizes that no one has a monopoly on virtue or on good ideas. We support commonsense policies from taxing the wealthy to reducing the deficit. We support the First and Second Amendments alike. We’re skeptical of the wealthy and the powerful, but we don’t demonize success. We know there’s value in hard work, and that it should be rewarded fairly. -- From https://www.bangordailynews.com/2025/11/05/opinion/opinion-contributor/jared-golden-why-i-wont-seek-reelection-column/

Amy Fried@asfried· Nov 7

I've been wondering if Troy Jackson could use money raised for a gubernatorial campaign for a House one. This looks to me like the FEC prohibits transfers from a state race to a federal one, although he could return $ to donors and ask for it back. #mepolitics www.fec.gov/help-candida...

Transfers from a candidate's nonfederal committee
A candidate's authorized (federal) committee may not accept funds or assets transferred from a committee established by the same candidate for a nonfederal election campaign. At its option, however, a nonfederal committee of the same candidate may refund its leftover funds to its contributors and may coordinate arrangements with the federal campaign for a solicitation of those same persons. The full cost of this solicitation must be paid by the federal committee.

Amy Fried@asfried· Nov 6

A few weeks ago Deprez and I wrote about Dunlap vs Golden (and the Senate race, too). Here's part of what we said about these candidates and the ME-2 Dem primary race. Also: National reporters should listen to people who live here. #mepolitics washingtonmonthly.com/2025/10/24/g...

Dunlap has emphasized his record of public service and direct engagement with voters, contrasting it with what he describes as Golden’s aloofness and combative tone. Dunlap has made clear his opposition to Trump and MAGA politics. As Secretary of State and a member of a commission Trump created to investigate election fraud in the 2016 election, he resisted Trump’s entreaties to turn over Maine’s voting rolls and successfully sued Trump. At the same time, Dunlap, a commissioner on the Maine Wabanaki-State Child Welfare Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), was seen as a thoughtful bridge-builder. Dunlap is a center-left politician who talks about constitutional norms and public trust.

Jared Golden, the 43-year-old Democratic incumbent, has built a reputation as one of the most conservative members of his caucus. Representing a large rural district that Trump won twice, Golden has often broken with his party on impeachment, student debt relief, and tariffs, and most recently on a continuing resolution to keep the government open, among other issues. The rural district has elected centrist Democrats (and moderate Republicans) before, but those incumbents did not turn off their party base as Golden has. In addition to his votes on government funding, Golden has been hurt by his avoidance of holding town halls; his unconcern about a second term for Trump (he characterized voters worried about threats to democracy as “pearl-clutching”); and his votes for the SAVE Act, which would impose new voter ID requirements.

Amy Fried@asfried· Nov 5

As Frenchboro goes? #mepolitics Source: www.bangordailynews.com/2025/11/04/p...

First votes of Maine were reported from the island of Frenchboro.
12-9 against Question 1
13-8 for Question 2

Amy Fried@asfried· Nov 3

We need an I Voted sticker archive. Maybe a contest or Hall of Fame, too. Here’s my entry.

Sticker shows a lumberjack with a flag and the words “I Voted Bangor.”

Amy Fried@asfried· Nov 2

Note that each ActBlue donation (with a MA address) is matched to one showing the donor and their location above it. See attached example. (Thanks to Ben Gaines for pointing this out to me.) #mepolitics