The BDN Opinion section operates independently and does not set news policies or contribute to reporting or editing articles elsewhere in the newspaper or on bangordailynews.com
Jim Tierney, Drew Ketterer and Steve Rowe served Maine as attorneys general.
We know firsthand that the cornerstone of democracy is the rule of law. It is the constitutional bedrock that safeguards our freedoms and protects every American. That is why, as former Maine attorneys general, we enthusiastically endorse our governor, Janet Mills, as she runs for the U.S. Senate.
We are profoundly alarmed by President Donald Trump’s continued assault on our Constitution and democratic institutions. He has corrupted the Constitution, weaponized our own government to attack political opponents, abused the power of the presidency to disparage the voiceless, and spurned the very ideals that define our nation as a beacon of democracy.
Mills is the opposite. Her commitment to the rule of law is only surpassed by her strength, experience, and backbone to defend it — even against the full force of threats, bullying, and intimidation from President Trump, Congress, and the MAGA machine.
We have watched Mills lead with integrity to make Maine a stronger, fairer, and safer place. As attorney general, she championed marriage equality and reproductive choice, defended the Affordable Care Act, and fought tirelessly for Maine families. She took on big predatory corporations, fought to keep people in their homes, and held big Pharma accountable for their role in creating the opioid crisis.
On her very first day as governor, she expanded health care for tens of thousands, and she has opened doors of opportunity through free community college, kept our public school children fed, and spurred unprecedented housing production to help bring down costs for Maine people.
Her trademark tough and principled leadership is exactly what Washington needs right now.
While we may not agree with every decision Mills has made, nor would we expect to, we have always found her to be exceedingly well informed, substantive in her position, and guided solely by what she believes to be in the best interest of Maine people.
Our democracy is now in peril because Congress has abdicated its constitutional responsibility. We fear our democracy will continue to deteriorate unless Congress’ membership changes, so it is here that Maine Democrats hold an awesome responsibility to make sure that happens. Only by changing the make-up of Congress will our democracy be saved.
Janet Mills understands that, and it is why she is running. Separate from any of the many disappointing decisions Sen. Susan Collins has made is the uncontroverted fact that her party label empowers not only President Trump, but also senators with the philosophy of her extremist friends and colleagues like Ted Cruz and Lindsey Graham.
Only if the Democrats win back the majority in the Senate next year will Trump’s acolytes and the judges he wants to appoint be stripped of power. Because Democrats have no chance of taking the Senate unless Susan Collins is defeated, the candidate Maine Democrats put forward could very well define the future of democracy in our country as we know it.
In her last race, Collins won by a large statewide margin, taking all but two counties. In her previous races, Collins carried every county. In each of these races, she faced candidates who had never won a statewide race and who had no statewide record of accomplishment. That is not the case with Mills. In Mills’ two elections, she won a majority of the vote — the first governor in more than 50 years to win more than 50 percent of the vote for both terms. In her reelection, she won 55 percent of the vote, winning counties in both congressional districts. She is a true, formidable statewide candidate who has delivered for Maine people.
We believe Mills is the candidate who would be the best senator and who can win. We are proud to support her. For the sake of our state, our nation, and our democracy itself, it is essential that we send Janet Mills to the United States Senate.
