Amy Fried

Blueskyers, I’m a retired political scientist, still actively writing and doing more real politics, whose core research has been on the history and political uses of public opinion. But I've done research other topics, too! My 1st pub was on abortion politics, the latest on ranked choice voting. 1/5

If they lose power, expect Republicans in several states to strip powers from incoming Democrats, pass voting restrictions, and new gerrymanders. They did it after losing governors races in NC in 2016 and 2024, MI and WI in 2018, and KY in 2019. They preemptively did it ahead of losing IA this year

National borders have *never* been containers for politics and political processes. I don't have time to write a full thread, so here are some resources.

On the Collins’ camp sleazy attack on Troy Jackson’s family. #mepolitics amyfried.substack.com/p/collins-sl...

I don't know that there is a definitive line to cross that makes you say, "I live in a police state now" but when masked gunmen can routinely brutalize the public, citizen or immigrant alike, with impunity, you have reached that point.

Just go vote, Mainers, and get out the vote. Talk to folks you know. Canvass and make calls. (And ignore Bobby Charles crowing that he’s tied when every other poll is Pingree +10.). #mepolitics

The differences between registered voters and likely voters in this Marist poll look inplausble. Jackson +9 w/RV but +2 with LV. Pingree + 11 w/RV but tied with LV. #mepolitics maristpoll.marist.edu/polls/the-mi...

Beyond a new rape allegation, the @democrats-judiciary.house.gov report implicates current Attorney General Todd Blanche, stating he "may have engaged in criminal obstruction of justice while acting on a mission to protect Trump," referring to an interview with Ghislaine Maxwell. Seems like news!

I can't stress enough how counterproductive it is for campaign sites to hit visitors with a donation pop-up they have to close before they can see anything. A week out, most visits to these pages are voters trying to make up their minds.

I'm seeing folks post about Bill Green being awful. What has he done now? #mepolitics

The vile attacks on Amy Acton need to be seen in the context of a party that *needs* people to believe women fabricating sexual assaults is common as rainwater. Because it’s pretty much the only way to evade the conclusion that the president is a rapist.

Correction (h/t @chrisbentson.bsky.social): 50plus1 is G. Elliott Morris; Nate Silver is 538 (Silver has it "toss up" at Dunlap 55/LePage 45). #mepolitics

Many retired diplomats and national security experts have ties or have retired to Maine so many of them actually know of Troy Jackson. These are not unsophisticated people. It’s not just a knee jerk anti-Collins endorsement. #MePolitics

Nate Silver now ranks ME-2 as Lean Dem. #mepoliitics fiftyplusone.news/forecast/house

“If He’ll F*ck His Own Family, He’ll F*ck Yours Too”: How Susan Collins Ducked Responsibility for Republican Attack on Troy Jackson’s Family #mepolitics mauricecunningham153.substack.com/p/if-hell-fc...

Woody! www.reddit.com/r/Music/comm...

And a chunk of Musk's money this year has gone to defend Susan Collins' seat because she votes with Trump so much and Troy Jackson would vote very differently! #mepolitics

Kavanaugh stops in action: ICE tackled a non-verbal kid near his school, left him with injuries requiring surgery, and then left the scene when they realized he wasn't the person they were looking for www.independent.com/2026/10/23/i...

In one day, two politicians - Bolsonaro in Brazil and Vucic in Serbia - with ties to Trump have lost surprise elections thanks to high turnout. The rise of the international far-right is not inevitable.

The Press Herald gets around to debunking smear ads against Troy Jackson. This is a gift link, so you can read it and share. #mepolitics www.pressherald.com?p=7754762&uu...

This is inspiring. And let’s remember, one of the negative ads against Troy claims he changed his mind on gun laws due to corruption. Mainers can reject the smears. #mepolitics

Troy Jackson has been all over the entire state of Maine, talking to voters and answering questions with honesty. You know where Susan Collins is right this minute? A fancy dinner for donors at the Samoset Resort in Rockport. Which do you want? #MEpolitics #VOTE #JACKSONforMAINE #RetireSusan

For some reason I just remembered that the polls last year on Question 1,(voting laws) and Question 2 (red flag laws) were very close and then Mainers voted in landslides, in both districts and statewide, to reject restrictions on voting and for gun limits. #mepolitics

In August, President Trump announced he had signed the “biggest oil deal in world history.” ProPublica reviewed the deal and found it gives a small group of people largely handpicked by the Trump administration long-term control of the enterprise.

Best day for democracy worldwide in quite some time: Brazil’s center-left president won the runoff in an upset, blocking the far-right from gaining unified power. Serbia’s right-wing authoritarian government finally lost control of parliament after more than a decade in power

The former manager of the Maine Wire says his parents are second cousins and "One thing I have learned about advertising is that if your product has the effect of making your base chortle with glee, it’s a bad ad and will probably backfire." #mepolitics www.pressherald.com?p=7753549&uu...

The long-serving strongman leader of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, has conceded defeat in an election that pitted him and his right-wing party against a diverse student-led opposition movement that spent two years protesting his government.

In which Trump says “ranked choice voting is as crooked as can be”:

Check out this focus group with Collins-Biden voters. Only one is voting for Collins this year and no one’s deciding based on Jackson’s family or his “shaddup.” Mostly they think Collins is with Trump too much, Kavanaugh matters. #mepolitics youtube.com/watch?v=lB7v...

The same US president who treats our friend Canada as an enemy is trying to give Alaska to Russia, a country whose absolutely overt foreign policy is to destroy us. This superpower suicide has to be stopped. www.ft.com/content/e9cf...

A lot of dictatorships try to make these kind of arrangements when things go south. Important to remember there are other kinds of criminal, civil and reputational accountability pardons can’t touch. And if you’re pardoned you have no 5th amendment rights.

Make Susan Collins Pay for Her Big Abortion Lie #mepolitics newrepublic.com/post/217070/... via @newrepublic.com

As governor, Paul LePage pardoned political allies convicted of felony crimes and let lobbyists write policy for industries they used to represent. I’ve built my career on oversight and accountability. Maine deserves someone who answers to Mainers, not lobbyists.

Racism and xenophobia are key ways poor and middle class people are recruited and used to benefit the elite. I hope this backfires, as it sometimes does, with stronger turnout by Somali Americans and an array of Mainers protecting the right to vote and electing pro-democracy candidates. #mepolitics

Yes! Tell it, Troy. #mepolitics

This is such an incredibly important piece to bring up. Susan Collins almost always acts in the interest of self-preservation or self-enrichment. She just knew how to disguise that behind political doublespeak for decades. It’s falling apart now and I can’t wait to see her go. Vote for Troy!

JUST POSTED: Today at The NYT we are publishing a major investigation into how President Trump used his executive powers to expose millions of Americans to greater cancer risks. A six month-long investigation built on more than 10,000 pages of FOIA records. Read it www.nytimes.com/2026/10/24/c...

So witkoff/kushner toadie sell out negotiations involves cutting Russian companies in on US energy deals? Are we giving Alaska back to Russia?

"The Trump regime is also *adding* tariffs on other Canadian goods. So this is equivalent to Collins offering water to put out the fire in your kitchen, whilst starting another in your garage." #Mepolitics

An administration that spent years insisting 2020 was stolen is now sending DOJ observers into Portland and Lewiston polls for Nov. 3. That isn't election integrity. It's federal pressure pointed at Maine's cities. #mepolitics #Maine https://bsky.app/profile/votehub.com/post/3mykvdo5y7a2k

Susan Collins’ closing messages are “Troy Jackson is a big meanie” and “Troy Jackson’s family is trash.” Seems contradictory and not about Mainers’ needs, no? #mepolitics

MAGA media "reporter" (who doesn't speak the Somali language) claims a translator was telling immigrant voters who to pick (and implies they might want candidates from the party who harasses Somali immigrants). This is attempted voter suppression. #mepolitics mainebeacon.com/maine-wires-...

Big tell that Pelota is winning the Senate race in Alaska.

Note, #mepolitics