225. Democracy on the Rise – in the US? With Maine’s youngest ever female Senator, Chloe Maxmin

The RegenNarration Podcast

This is one of my favourite conversations, and it starts a mini-series of sorts. I’ve had many listeners ask how things feel in this US election year. So, after months speaking with all kinds of people as we travelled through half the states of this country, throughout October, as the election approaches, I’ll offer what we’ve observed, in conversation with people doing some of the more outstanding things we’ve learned about along the way.
Today, meet Chloe Maxmin. Chloe left the farm she grew up on in Maine, as many young folk do, and headed for the city. But against frequent advice, she returned. And soon after, wondering why a kind community was voting for unkind politics, at age 26, she would stand for office and become the first Democrat ever to represent Maine House District 88, and the youngest member of the 129th Maine Legislature. Two years later, she’d become the youngest female state senator in Maine's history.
Chloe achieved all this with a community movement akin to what is transforming Australian politics right now. And we see a similar thing happening nationally here right now - notwithstanding the different electoral system. All helped along by organisations like the one Chloe was trained by, a book (Dirt Road Revival) and film (Rural Runners) about her experience, and now a non-profit Chloe has co-founded that trains yet more people, called Dirtroad Organizing. In short time, 38 alumni are now running at the coming election.
This episode has chapter markers and a transcript.
Recorded 8 September 2024 at Begin Again Farm, Maine.
Title slide: Chloe just before our chat (pic: Olivia Cheng).
See more photos on the website & for more from behind the scenes, become a member via the Patreon page.
Music:
Green Shoots, by The Nomadics.
Regeneration, by Amelia Barden, from Regenerating Australia.
The RegenNarration playlist, music chosen by guests (thanks to Josie Symons).
Get tickets:
Rural Runners screenings on the US west coast next week.
Rural Runners screening in West Virginia.
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Chapters

1. Music, Preview, Introduction & Supporter Thanks (00:00:00)

2. Chloe’s surprising family stories (00:03:45)

3. Starting to organise campaigns in school (00:06:45)

4. A community pioneering the fossil fuel divestment movement (00:10:15)

5. The discomfort of Rolling Stone’s Green Hero award (00:13:15)

6. Coming back home the day after graduating & waiting tables (00:15:40)

7. Deciding to run for office (00:18:59)

8. Why are kind communities voting for unkind politics? (00:20:08)

9. Finding a way to campaign that speaks with everybody (00:24:10)

10. A growing movement (00:27:34)

11. Publicly funded campaigns & high voter turnout in Maine (00:31:40)

12. Some outcomes, horrors & surprises of 4 years in office (00:34:15)

13. Green New Deal for Maine & the law Chloe’s most proud of (00:38:05)

14. Being the youngest elected female senator & a change agent (00:43:29)

15. A book & film - & their unexpected popularity (00:46:09)

16. Founding Dirtroad Organising to train others (00:48:00)

17. Are we not as divided as we thought? (00:58:25)

18. Dirtroad Media? Responding to forces that would divide (01:04:35)

19. Imagining this election & beyond … (01:08:30)

20. Music, events & what's next (01:10:25)