Maine Democrats launch Seniors for Biden-Harris coalition

The fall presidential campaign season heated up Wednesday in Augusta with the formation of a new group aimed at urging older Mainers to support President Joe Biden.

The Seniors for Biden-Harris coalition will target a key demographic and important voting bloc in Maine with messaging around Social Security and Medicare.

“We’re here today because I, like so many, am deeply concerned about Donald Trump’s attacks on Social Security,” Senate Majority Leader Eloise Vitelli (D-Arrowsic) said.

She said Trump proposed cuts to Social Security while president and that she’s concerned about what a second Trump term would do to the program.

In response, Karoline Leavitt, Trump Campaign National Press Secretary said, “President Trump delivered on his promise to protect Social Security and Medicare in his first term, and President Trump will continue to strongly protect Social Security and Medicare in his second term.” She added, “President Trump will quickly rebuild the greatest economy in history, protect seniors, and put Social Security and Medicare on a stronger footing for generations to come.”

The back-and-forth is just a preview of coming attractions for a campaign season likely to be filled with attack ads, glossy mailers and spirited debate about the future of the country.

In fact, a poll released Wednesday shows 55% of Mainers believe the country is on the wrong track, with just 11% choosing “right direction,” according to Critical Insights. The remainder chose “not sure” or “mixed.”

The announcement of the new coalition followed Tuesday’s primary election in which Mainers chose candidates for the state’s two congressional seats and dozens of state legislative posts.

The presidential contest between Biden and Trump is the marquee race across the country, but in Maine, voters will decide other key matchups as well.

That includes deciding whether to reelect Sen. Angus King, an independent seeking a third term. He’s facing three challengers — Republican Demi Kouzounas, Democrat David Costello and independent Jason Cherry — for the right to represent Maine for six years in the upper federal chamber.

On Tuesday, Republicans chose Trump-backed former NASCAR driver Austin Theriault of Fort Kent to challenge U.S. Rep. Jared Golden, a Democrat running for his third term.

In southern Maine, the GOP chose Ronald Russell as their nominee to take on U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree, a Democrat seeking her ninth term.

And while most legislative primaries turned out to be low key affairs, in Waterville, Democrat Cassie Julia defeated fellow Democrat Rep. Bruce White, who sought a fourth term in the Maine House.

In that race, abortion took center stage, with Planned Parenthood backing Julia because of White’s votes against the expansion of abortion rights over the last two years.

At the Seniors for Biden-Harris event on Wednesday, the Biden supporters warned of cuts to Social Security and Medicare, pointing to a CNN story in which Trump was quoted as saying “There is a lot you can do in terms of entitlements, in terms of cutting and in terms of also the theft and bad management of entitlements.”

CNN then quoted a Trump campaign spokeswoman as saying Trump was referring to cutting waste, not the entitlements themselves.

Biden supporter Rep. Bill Bridgeo (D-Augusta) said support for seniors is especially important in Maine, where one in five people are over 65 years old.

“Our seniors as parents, coworkers and neighbors have always had our backs,” he said. “We need to have theirs.”