Troy Jackson on Fighting for Working Class and Maine Gov. Race

0:10a packed stadium in portland maine on an technically off election year although there's a big 2026 election and primaries coming up as well. That was part of Senator Bernie Sanders' Fight the Oligarchy Tour. You had Troy Jackson speaking there, who's running for governor of Maine, as the current governor is termed out. You have Graham Plattner running for the Senate spot in Maine, as Susan Collins is very concerned about everything imaginable but doesn't take any action. And you've got the people in Maine completely fired up, as you can see at that event right there. Just zooming in on what's happening in Maine, it's a story that we're seeing across the country right now, just in Maine.

1:00And hat tip to our friends at More Perfect Union for this piece, showing how trades workers are facing catastrophic layoffs based on what the Trump regime is doing right now. And this is a story being repeated across the country, red states, blue states and purple states. Here, play this clip. I'd heard people say, if you vote for this, you're going to get what you voted for. But that's what people say every election. A catastrophic wave of layoffs is hitting electricians in Maine. It may be a preview of hundreds of thousands of jobs that could be lost nationwide after President Trump and Republicans just repealed billions in clean energy investments.

1:36It was like a light switch got opened and all our work just disappeared overnight. We went to Maine, where a solar boom has already come to an abrupt halt. I got laid off at the beginning of May. I haven't gotten any calls yet. I'm on unemployment right now, and in the state of Maine, that's$595 per week, and I pay rent. That's$13.50 a month. This has nothing to do with our local union or the companies around us getting jobs. It solely comes down to what's happening in our federal government right now. By the way, give more perfect union a follow. So with that taking place in Maine, you've heard the story before a logger and oyster man and Bernie Sanders works walks into a bar.

2:20And what happens? Well, in Maine, you have 6 ,500 people showing up and being energized. You have Troy Jackson, logger, former president of Maine's Senate. You have Graham Plattner, oyster man, man of the people, fighter, same with Troy Jackson. And of course, you got Bernie Sanders, man of the people there as well. And talking about how this is a story that the elites, the oligarchs don't want to have told, but it's a story that the American people want. And I'll show you just a quick clip here of Troy Jackson's speech there. And this really resonated me where he says, we have to change the status quo.

3:01We do. Here, play this clip. I'm running for governor because the American dream of putting down roots and owning a home and being able to provide for your family with a good paying job is moving way out of reach.

3:22I am running for the people who work their entire lives and still can't afford to retire because the economic system in this country is rigged against them.

3:36And I'm running for all the workers who've been told to do or to go home, who've been told that they are replaceable and that their lives are dispensable. And look, I'm running for that little boy who stood behind his father at the Highland years ago and all those kids who've watched their parents work so hard and still struggle and their lives have been defined by wealth inequality and the status quo. We have to break the status quo. It's not working for us. We do have to break the status quo. It's not working for Americans right now. Let's bring in Troy Jackson, former president of Maine Senate, lifelong logger running for governor of Maine.

4:16Troy, it's great to see you. Talk to us about that event and frankly, what you're seeing as you're traveling across the great state of Maine. Yeah, well, thanks, Ben. I'm getting a little emotional watching that again. I mean, the status quo is exactly what is the problem. I mean, I think people across the state and probably across the country are feeling like it doesn't matter who it is, Democrats or Republicans, you know, they're getting a raw deal. And that's what you're seeing. And that's what I'm hearing and feeling. You know, I was the second highest ranking Democrat in the state of Maine, and I still feel like, you know, no one's listening across the state to what's going on with everyday people.

5:01They feel like they're getting left behind in a system that is only thing that seems like people want are tax cuts for the wealthy. and that's what you're seeing in Congress is that, you know, guys like Trump are just lying to people so that they can get tax cuts for the wealthiest people in this country. And that never works for people like us. It never has. It never will. And for me, it seems like, you know, I've been born to fight against people like Trump. I mean, to take on bullies like him, to fight against billionaires since I was a young boy. I that's what I have always had to deal with.

5:42And that's what I'm going to deal with if I'm elected governor once again, because we need somebody that's a working class person and understands what working class people are going through because, you know, they're upset and they're pissed off and I don't blame them. You know, it seems you have with people suffering. Trump was talking to them, but Trump was defrauding them and saying, here's what I'm going to do. I promise you this. I promise you that. It's all going to happen on day one. But it was all lies. And then it seemed that in 2024, at least, the Democrats weren't talking to them. We're kind of talking somewhere else.

6:21And so people were saying, well, this guy's promising me a bunch of things. Yeah, he's got a history of defrauding people over and over and over again. But he's pretending that he cares, not knowing, again, that's what con artists do. but now it seems that people are recognizing, whoa, whoa, whoa, okay, you've defrauded me. This was all one big part of the Trump life of lies. Why did I fall for this? And now you have Democrats like you and Graham and Bernie who are out there saying, look, listen, this is what we need to do, and this is how we have to fight back, and we're just going to do it from the grassroots.

7:00Can you talk to that sentiment? Well, I think that you're absolutely right. In the absence of nothing, people are going to gravitate towards someone that at least will tell you what they're going to do to help you. And in this case, that's exactly what happened. Like, I don't think that Democrats didn't want to help, but they just quit talking about the things that were important. And that's certainly something that I have always fought for. I mean, you know, my last session, you know, we did child care, you know, which is a big deal. We were fighting for elderly care, which here in Maine is a real problem.

7:36You know, we lost 40 percent of our nursing homes, you know, trying to provide better jobs, trying to give health care. Our health care in Maine is projected to increase 32 percent prescription drugs. I mean, where I live, you can look into Canada and see, you know, people in New Brunswick that don't have to worry about prescription drugs and health care. I mean, that's a major, those are major issues, not just in Maine, but across this country. And people are struggling with those things. And Democrats seem like they've kind of given up that message to Republicans. And that is why working class people, unfortunately, are leaving the party or are looking for something else.

8:15and we have to, you know, fight for those people because they deserve it. And that's, for me, what I started in politics about. I mean, I never once thought I was ever going to be a politician. I never wanted to be a politician, but I wanted to fight for the people in my community. And for the last 20 years, that's what it's been about is showing up and trying to deliver for my constituents. And I'm upset that, you know, we're still in this position today that, you know, we're not doing the things that we should be doing for everyday people. And for me, it's not about patting ourselves on the back.

8:52It's about delivering for people that need real things, you know, done for them. And politicians should be upset with themselves if they haven't delivered. And that's what is the issue right now is that people, it's not about stepping stones and moving on. It's about delivering for people in this country that really need help. And we're not doing that. And we need to start doing that. It's interesting about what Maine is doing. So you have the primary coming up in what? When does the primary come up, Troy? When's that? So you have the primary in June. It's ranked choice and it's open. So independents, anybody can vote in it.

9:35Now, when you're traveling the country, I mean, and you're traveling the state more significantly, Are you seeing shifts of Trump voters and independents who moved one way saying, you know, this guy, you know, this guy screwed me? Or are you seeing Mick? What are you seeing? We're definitely seeing people that are having buyer remorse now. I mean, with tariffs here in Maine, you know, concern about lumber prices and things like that, parts, farmers trying to get their fertilizer out of Canada, all those things are, you know, become really problematic. And then, you know, the issue of people trying to be able to get, like I said, other things that tourism, things like that here in Maine is way down.

10:30So those are all challenges. And then just food prices and things like that. So you're seeing a lot of problems there. But then with the big bogus bill that they passed, you know, we're going to see a lot of issues here with our hospitals and with our nursing homes. that's going to be a real problem. And I think it's only going to get worse with the people here in Maine. They're going to see that, you know, we're really going to be in a lot of challenges here. A lot of people are really going to be hurt by this administration. So I think it's only going to get worse in that regard. Troy, before we go, where can people find out more information about the campaign and any final message you want to have to all of our 6 million subscribers out there?

11:14Well, I think, you know, going to jacksonformaine.com is where you can find out more information. But I think the biggest thing here is that, you know, this will be this campaign is, you know, about everyday working class people. That's, you know, what this is all race is about. I think I'd be the only person that would actually be a governor that would actually be a union member. I know what it's like to get grease on my hands. You know, and I'm an everyday, like I said, working class person. and we need the support because I don't come from a rich family. I know people, what they think about me.

11:48I talk funny. I didn't go to a great school or anything like that. I went to an everyday university, but I'm fighting for everyday people, and this is a different campaign. So I'd certainly appreciate the help, and I'm awesome. It's been great to be on this show. Troy, it's great to have you on the show. We hope to have you back soon. Keep us posted on everything that's happening in Maine and good luck on the campaign. Thanks. Everybody hit subscribe. Let's get to 6 million subscribers. Want to stay plugged in? Become a subscriber to our sub stack at MidasPlus.com. You'll get daily recaps from Ron Filipkowski, add free episodes of our podcast and more exclusive content only available at MidasPlus.com.

12:34See you next time.