A wide-open gubernatorial primary offers voters a unique opportunity to consider what sort of leadership is right for Maine at this moment. For me, the answer is clear: Shenna Bellows has the brains, integrity and the sheer moxie we need right now.

Bellows’ legacy as secretary of state is one of steady success and building trust. Through challenging times, she has been a transparent communicator, a proponent of good customer service in government and a fierce defender of free and fair elections. She has made politically hard, constitutionally just decisions, and she has never blinked at the repercussions.

And, boy, have there been repercussions. Bellows has been threatened, doxxed, swatted and harassed to no end. She has had to relocate because of threats to her life. The billionaire-backed right-wing Maine Wire recently named her Maine’s “Most Dangerous Democrat.” Another flood of vitriol followed.

While disgraceful, the far right’s vilification of Bellows reveals their fear of her. Bellows’ unflappable handling of it is proof of her readiness to lead. When it comes to their agenda, she would, in fact, be dangerous — no one would be a bigger obstacle to making the rich richer at the expense of working people, or to scapegoating the most vulnerable among us for political gain, or to undermining election integrity.

At a moment of unprecedented chaos and rancor, I’m going with the leader who has stood up for democracy at every turn. When hate howls, Shenna bellows. We’d all do well to listen.

Jeremy Cluchey
Bowdoinham