Democracy for America endorses Betsy Sweet for U.S. Senate in Maine

Today, Democracy for America (DFA) announced its endorsement of Betsy Sweet for U.S. Senate on day one of her race against four-time incumbent Susan Collins.

Sweet is DFA’s second endorsement for U.S. Senate and will advance the progressive group’s “Flip the Senate” strategy, an effort to end Republican control of a body that could halt inclusive populist reform even with a Democrat in the White House.



In 2014, DFA was one of the only national political organizations to run an independent expenditure campaign targeting Susan Collins reelection. Despite the success the early ad campaign (e.g. "Millionaires & Billionaires") had in shaving 9% off of Collin’s polling and forcing her campaign to respond, no other national Democratic groups stepped up to join the fight against Collins.

Statement from DFA CEO Yvette Simpson on the grassroots group’s endorsement of Sweet:

“Betsy Sweet is the kind of bold leader who can harness the grassroots energy that’s been growing in Maine for years, and finally replace one of Donald Trump’s key enablers in the U.S. Senate, Susan Collins. “When Susan Collins cast her vote to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court, she made it clear that she stands with Donald Trump and Mitch McConnell, and not with women in Maine and across the country. Americans are hungry for change and they are sick and tired of being sold out by politicians like Susan Collins who put their political interests ahead of the people’s interests. “Unlike Susan Collins, Betsy Sweet knows who she’s fighting for and who she’s fighting against. Sweet has spent her life defending the rights of women, people with disabilities, victims of sexual assualt and discrimination, and all Mainers who want to live in a clean environment. In the U.S. Senate, she’ll be an unabashed champion for abortion rights, Medicare for All, a $15 minimum wage, organized labor, and criminal justice reform. “In 2014, far too many National Democrats made a huge mistake by giving Susan Collins a pass on what should have been a reelection fight. In 2020, we can’t just fix that mistake by ending Susan Collins’ career, we must replace her with someone who’ll be a strong fighter for our shared progressive values and committed to helping us win back the rights that Collins’ votes have helped destroy. “We’re supporting Betsy Sweet on day one of her campaign because we believe she’s the inclusive populist leader that Mainers and our country needs in the U.S. Senate to clean up the mess made by the Trump-Collins agenda. -- Yvette Simpson, CEO, Democracy for America

DFA has 11,047 members in Maine and more than one million members nationwide.