U.S. Senate candidate withdraws, urges community to focus on efforts at statewide unification and healing for economic and security ramifications. Switches political parties.
Portland, ME July 21, 2026 –(PR.com)– I’m saddened to be announcing my withdrawal from the U.S. Senate race. And, yet, I do not regret running the race.
I threw my hat into the ring because I believe that:
We need to focus more on the types of people we are electing for leadership roles. That we should not be choosing candidates who want to fight to beat another person but instead candidates who are focused on healing, unification and supporting whatever policies and actions will unify people across the state and party lines.
When we run on a message of defeating another person, we create more enemies. And, while I believe it is vital, even essential, to get a new Mainer in the Senate, I do not believe the path to get there needs to be about defeat. When every election cycle is about defeating the bad guy, we stop asking questions about who the good guy is. When we do that we accept anyone who looks like a winner, and then we shrink our values, our ideals and our view of leadership for the sake of winning. In the end, we are the ones who are most harmed.
What we need now more than ever is a collective effort at the creation of a healthy, thriving whole community. We need to stop stuffing policy choices down the throats of those who are opposed and begin to make policy choices that can allow for conversation, consensus building and collaboration. Our Republican and Independent neighbors are our neighbors. They have valid opinions and beliefs about the future of our country and they are suffering from the same fears as any Democrat. Across the state we want more affordability, access to healthcare and safer streets, we merely disagree on how to get there. That can be overcome.
Healing our state and creating unification is not a pretty, kumbaya idea. It is an economic and security issue. Only when we can see ourselves as a state united in politics and policies can we build together and in doing so create a place that is safe, secure and successful. We all are fighting to survive. We do not have to fight each other. Instead, there are divides to be bridged and connections to be made. The two party system prevents us from doing the thinking, connecting and having the conversations we need. It is designed to polarize rather than connect. We must find ways to change that.
In my conversations with Mainers I have seen people actively embrace and understand unification as a viable and frankly, inevitable path forward. Republicans and Independents have reached out in support and volunteers stepped forward to help. But, there are also those who told me to step aside, to support the presumptive nominee and clear the way for the man who can win. But that is the very problem at the heart of this: when we vote for candidates to beat Collins, we all lose. We get people who are too busy fighting to do the fixing.
I’m a proud Ampersand – that’s a person who is both an artist and a businesswoman – and I know that we don’t have to choose one path or the other. But, it is instead about how we choose to lead that can allow for growth. When I learned to be both an artist and a businesswoman, I became more successful than I ever was before. The same I think is true for Maine. If we lead with an idea of unification over defeat, I believe that victory will come easily, naturally and quickly because it will be actually in service of the greatest number for the greatest good. That is the essence of democracy.
But how do we get there?
We must not look to leaders alone to solve the problem. Rallying behind the nominee will only work for so long. The work we must do is at home. We must reach out to our neighbors. We must be political. We must care, talk and discuss how power, resources, and influence are distributed within a community or society.
Change begins within and happens at all levels from the town committee to county and state as well as the federal government. Change requires our active participation in every facet of our life.
I know that in a time where everyone is struggling to find enough, this feels counter-intuitive. But, this is why community is an economic issue and a security one. When we are united we stand. When we are divided we fall.
Community is not a nice to have; it is all we have.
It is because I believe so much in a unified community that I am not only bowing out of this race, but I am changing parties. I do not want to be part of the divisive language of defeat but I want to find ways to mend and unify. I’m going to, like a third of Mainers, become an independent and from there I’m going to continue getting to the work of this moment. This is my little candle, lit up, as an example. May it touch yours. May we soon light a flame. May that flame burn for unity and reach everyone afraid and huddled in the dark.
With love and appreciation,
Kristina
Contact Information:
Socu, Inc
Katrina Thaxton
207-215-4031
Contact via Email
www.getsocu.com
Read the full story here: https://www.pr.com/press-release/974324
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