Biddeford native Ross LaJeunesse ended his campaign for the U.S. Senate on Thursday. In his announcement on Medium, LaJeunesse said he believes that the best way to achieve his “original goal” of defeating Susan Collins is to rally behind a single candidate, Sara Gideon.
“The truth is that our government and our economy have not been working for most Mainers,” LaJeunesse wrote. “If we don’t change that, my generation will be the last with a chance at achieving the American dream that I have been so fortunate to live.”
“We cannot afford six more years of Susan Collins not showing up for us,” he continued. “We cannot afford six more years of Susan Collins putting Mitch McConnell and the Republican party ahead of Mainers. It is time to unify behind one candidate to give Mainers the voice in Washington we deserve.”
He also cited the COVID19 pandemic as part of the reason behind his decision, saying it doesn’t allow him to continue running the campaign he had planned, “meeting voters where they live and work and speaking person to person, is impossible.” LaJeunesse expressed gratitude for his husband Patrick and their extended family, who supported his campaign since it launched in November.
LaJeunesse expressed tremendous respect for fellow Democratic candidates Betsy Sweet and Bre Kidman, but stated that Sara Gideon is “the only Democrat who can beat Susan Collins” and vowed to “do whatever I can to ensure that she wins in November and that she becomes Maine’s next United States Senator.”
On Twitter, Gideon thanked LaJeunesse and said she’s “glad to be in this effort together.”
“Mainers deserve someone standing up for us in Washington,” Gideon wrote, adding, “That’s why I’m running to replace Susan Collins in the U.S. Senate.”
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