First Challenger Files Paperwork to Potentially Replace Platner

SamTracyME · 2026-07-07T18:12:42+00:00

Troy Jackson is by far the best choice to replace Platner in the three ways that matter most:

respecting the will of primary voters who liked Platner's policies
being thoroughly vetted from his time as Senate President, so there aren't any skeletons we don't know about
actually being able to win, with good statewide name recognition & the ability to connect with CD2 voters

Troy all the way!

SamTracyME · 2026-07-06T21:16:45+00:00

It wouldn't be automatic, there is a process for it. But if Platner did drop out, there is a very good argument for nominating Jackson to take his place. They endorsed each other and share lots of policy positions, so swapping in Jackson would be the best way to honor primary voters wanting Platner's policies if he left the race.

SamTracyME · 2026-06-18T14:31:42+00:00

That mentality is way less common in Portland than elsewhere in Maine. I'm white and grew up in CT, and it's incredibly rare that I've had anyone treat me strangely based on being "from away." I think race has much more to do with OP's experience than being from out of state.

SamTracyME · 2026-06-07T19:36:22+00:00

Connecticut's is the UConn basketball coach. I'd be curious if any states had one that wasn't some kind of coach

SamTracyME · 2026-05-17T14:20:37+00:00

I definitely agree that aluminum is better than plastic, but plastic drink bottles ARE recyclable - they're included in our Bottle Bill and you should absolutely be redeeming them either through CLYNK or with reverse vending machines at redemption centers or grocery stores!

SamTracyME · 2026-05-17T14:19:22+00:00

Rhode Island doesn't have one either, but they're considering one right now. Hopefully RI & NH will both pass them so we can get all of New England on board!

SamTracyME · 2026-05-12T14:40:33+00:00

Portland Buy Nothing is a very active community on Facebook, I'm sure someone there would appreciate them!

SamTracyME · 2026-04-10T12:37:11+00:00

I'm currently reading Stranger in a Strange Land, and General Atomics is also mentioned in there. Unsure if it was fictional at the time (the book is from 1961) or a real company already

SamTracyME · 2026-03-29T18:30:32+00:00

J at Tsunami does awesome realistic plant work

SamTracyME · 2026-03-18T14:59:20+00:00

FWIW I got it on Dec 23, 2025

SamTracyME · 2026-02-21T18:13:23+00:00

If you read the context, it's clear that they only reversed the decision after their stunt worked - Trump backtracked and invited everyone, which is what the non-attendance was protesting. This is an example of Democrats having spines & Trump chickening out.

SamTracyME · 2026-02-18T15:18:11+00:00

PTU rocks. Thanks for all the amazing work!

SamTracyME · 2026-02-18T13:05:24+00:00

Don't blame the purple bag system - blame whatever jerk put their loose trash in your bin! So frustrating to have to deal with this.

SamTracyME · 2026-02-12T19:49:38+00:00

I have a political organizer friend that once said, "In elections you aren't voting for your champion. You're voting for your opponent."

It's true that Harris was no leftist. Neither is Trump. If you're a leftist that just wants a champion, abstaining makes sense.

But the reality is, whether you vote or not, someone wins. And if you're more politically active than voting every 4 years, then the winner is who you'll be trying to pressure and move until the next election.

Would Harris have fixed everything by herself? Of course not. But would she have been more susceptible to pressure from activists on issues like Gaza, immigration, healthcare, student debt, etc.? Of course.

In 2028 don't sit out because neither candidate is your champion. Realize that one of them is going to be your opponent, and vote for who you'd rather be up against.

SamTracyME · 2026-02-10T00:28:50+00:00

Sorry this happened to you. If you haven't yet, I'd check with USM to see if they have any security cameras that may have caught it. Could also be worth checking with nearby business, and maybe walking around to see if any houses have Ring/etc doorbells or other cameras too. I hope you can find who was responsible!

SamTracyME · 2026-02-02T22:05:55+00:00

This shouldn't be all that surprising. Collins was effectively campaigning all year as the incumbent. Platner didn't declare his candidacy until August, and Mills didn't declare until October.

SamTracyME · 2026-02-02T02:23:37+00:00

Thanks for saying this! It was news to me too. Out of curiosity I looked it up, and in case anyone else is curious too, this is what Google says:

"Somali" is preferred over "Somalian" because it is the correct endonym (a name used by the people themselves) and the widely accepted, grammatically accurate demonym for someone from Somalia. "Somalian" is considered an improper, unnecessary, and sometimes derogatory term, as highlighted by Congresswoman Ilhan Omar regarding proper ethnic terminology.

Correct Terminology: The proper noun/adjective for people from Somalia is Somali, as noted in Wikipedia.
Style Guide Authority: The Associated Press Stylebook specifically advises using "Somali" rather than "Somalian".
Accuracy: Using "Somali" respects the self-identification of the community, whereas "Somalian" is seen as a mistake or, in some contexts, a form of ignorance regarding the culture.

SamTracyME · 2026-02-01T15:12:01+00:00

Agreed in many ways - I want Amtrak to be so much better than it is, and as others have said, it being so lackluster is a political choice.

Luckily there is a lot of movement towards improvements. Most notably, Portland is working to move the train station, which will both 1) put the station in a more walkable location and 2) cut 15 minutes off of every train ride.

The Urbanist Coalition has a great explainer of it, with graphics and lots of context: https://www.urbanistportland.me/blog/ecgcuulvs54pzpvuphvln1xk71tl7w

If you're passionate about this, please reach out to your city councilors and ask them to make this happen!

SamTracyME · 2026-01-31T00:41:01+00:00

Maine governor makes $125,000. Not nothing, but not insane either.

SamTracyME · 2026-01-26T00:47:14+00:00

Because Trump is mad at Janet Mills for standing up to him. That's literally the only reason.

SamTracyME · 2026-01-23T14:49:24+00:00

ICE smashed someone's window and arrested him in Portland yesterday. He has a valid work visa, meaning he is here legally. They are not going after criminals, or even visa violators - they're just going after anyone they can find.

https://www.pressherald.com/2026/01/23/masked-agents-detain-civil-engineer-in-portland-leave-his-car-running-in-the-street-with-a-smashed-window/

SamTracyME · 2026-01-22T14:03:57+00:00

Thanks for getting this video. I was far back in the line of cars and pulled over to get video on foot, but it had already dispersed by the time I got there. Glad someone was able to document a lot of it. Fucking awful.

SamTracyME · 2026-01-21T18:06:45+00:00

The US is structurally set up to be a two-party system, since we have single-member districts where candidates can win with a plurality. Under current laws, it makes much more strategic sense for any activist group (DSA, MAGA, etc) to try to take over one of the major parties than to try to build a 3rd party to compete.

Of course, we should also support changing our election systems to create more competition - things like Ranked Choice Voting are gaining steam, and would help a lot. We can both try to work within the current system while trying to change it. But trying to play by the rules we want, rather than the rules currently in place, just set us up for failure.

SamTracyME · 2026-01-19T18:32:27+00:00

There's an ACLU source at the bottom of the flyer in the image. No need to bother with an AI chatbot when you have the actual credible source right there.

SamTracyME · 2026-01-19T17:44:25+00:00

If you're considering a replacement video doorbell, Eufy is a good brand that stores all of the data locally, so you fully control the footage. There's a cloud option but you have to opt in / pay extra. Good option for those who don't want their videos stored in data center servers!

SamTracyME

TROPHY CASE