Roger Roy personally endorses Jean Hay Bright
The Aroostook Democrat - volume 14, issue 5
May 4, 2006
In the May issue of the Aroostook Democrat, published monthly for the Aroostook Democratic County Committee, editor Roger Roy personally endorsed Jean.

I don't usually get involved in Democratic primaries, and I have avoided expressing my own feelings, but I believe I should endorse the candidacy of Jean Hay Bright for the U. S. Senate.

Beating Olympia Snowe is a long shot at best. The odds are against both Democratic primary candidates. However, with the people finally beginning to realize that George Bush is a complete failure as a president, and that the Republican leadership of this country has been disastrous. I don't want to list the reasons that the country may turn against Republicans because the list would be too long for this newsletter. However, we have to be ready in case lightning strikes in Maine.

Olympia Snowe masquerades as a moderate, but she votes with Bush and the rightwing whenever her vote is needed. She is allowed to criticize publicly as long as she toes the line when her vote is needed.

Jean Hay Bright is better positioned than Eric Mehnert to beat Olympia Snowe because she is a liberal woman. She has a long record of activism in numerous progressive causes.

But Jean is really a pragmatist. She is not an ideologue. Over the years, Democratic women have elected Olympia Snowe. Maybe it is time for a Democratic woman to run against her.

In a normal year, neither of our candidates would have a snowball's chance in hell of winning, but this doesn't look like a normal year. If lightning is to strike, we better have a lightning rod -- and Jean is a lightening rod.

That's why I am supporting her in the primary.
Full disclosure - Over the past decade, the Aroostook Democrat has published dozens of Jean's political columns. Several of those columns have gone on to win awards in Maine Media Women's juried contests.