Maine politics is full of big promises and louder rhetoric, but young Mainers are looking for something simpler: a government that works, leaders who are honest and a state where we can afford to build a life.

My generation is starting careers, paying off loans and struggling to keep up with rising costs — all while asking a bigger question: can we build a future here, or will we have to leave the state we love like so many already have? We don’t have the luxury of treating politics like a reality show.

We feel every decision made in Augusta at the grocery store, in our energy bills and in whether good-paying jobs exist close to home. As these basic steps into adulthood grow more expensive, we need leadership focused on what’s happening right now — not recycled talking points or highlight reels from the past. Maine deserves leadership grounded in the real economy, not the political echo chamber. We need someone who talks about paychecks, families and communities— not soundbites. Someone who has built something, signed paychecks and earned every opportunity through hard work.

Ben Midgley understands what young Mainers are up against because he has lived it. He’s not a polished career politician — and that’s exactly why he’s willing to shake things up in Augusta and fight for a stronger, more affordable future.

For too long, young people have been told to wait their turn, but we need action today that makes staying, working and building a life in Maine possible again — not someday.

Matt Griffiths
Kennebunk