MSEA-SEIU 1989 Ranks Troy Jackson First & Shenna Bellows Second in Gubernatorial Primary

Members of the Maine Service Employees Association, Local 1989 of the Service Employees International Union (MSEA-SEIU Local 1989) are recommending Troy Jackson as their first choice for governor in the June 9, 2026, primary election, citing his proven record of standing up for Maine’s working families and retired workers. Because this primary election will be decided by ranked-choice voting, MSEA is also recommending Shenna Bellows as their second choice for governor.

"For the first time in the history of our union, MSEA-SEIU Local 1989 is making a ranked-choice endorsement for Governor in a primary election. We are ranking Troy Jackson first and we are asking every union member, every working family, and every Mainer to do the same on June 9th,” MSEA-SEIU President Mark Brunton of Lewiston said. “There is a reason the national labor movement is pointing to Troy Jackson as an example of the new kind of leader this country needs — a leader who came up through work, not wealth, a leader who will hold the political class accountable to the people they are supposed to serve. That is the kind of Governor Troy will be. As Governor, Troy Jackson will work to make Maine more affordable. He’ll fight for our schools, our environment and the right of every worker in this state to have a voice on the job. He will not cower to powerful interests. He never has. He is not about to start now.”

“I’ve seen firsthand what MSEA-SEIU Local 1989 members do for the people of this state — the people I was entrusted to represent — for the better part of the last two decades. They keep our government functioning, carry out our laws, and ensure children, families, seniors and small businesses can access resources and support,”said Jackson in a statement. “So it is a true honor to have earned their number one endorsement in the race for Maine Governor.”

"Troy Jackson is the real deal. As a MaineDOT worker for many years, I've worked with Troy fighting for fair wages and stronger retirement benefits for DOT workers, and I've had the pleasure of working with him to feed Maine families in need with Food AND Medicine's Solidarity Harvest,” said MSEA-SEIU Member Brian Markey of Kenduskeag, who works as an assistant technician for the MaineDOT. “With him running for Governor, I am glad I unenrolled from the Republican Party so I can vote for Troy Jackson in the June 9th Primary as an Independent. I know he will be the strongest voice for Maine workers and our families as the next Governor in the Blaine House, and it’s up to us to help get him there."

“For over 20 years, Troy Jackson has consistently shown his willingness and ability to buck political parties and corporations to fight for Maine workers and their families,” said MSEA-SEIU Retiree Member J.B. Whipple of Scarborough, a former human services caseworker for the Maine Office of Child and Family Services, and the Maine Office of Aging and Disability Services, both within the Maine Department of Health and Human Services. “Troy Jackson has led the way in lowering the cost of prescription drugs. He has fought to reign in the high cost of utilities in Maine. He passed a law preventing the closure of Maine Veterans’ Homes in Caribou and Machias. He sponsored the legislation making sure every Maine student receives a free lunch so they can make the most of their education. He is determined to strengthen wages for all Maine workers and to fight for the rights of Maine families – and for tribal sovereignty."

MSEA-SEIU Member Jonathan French of Hallowell, a transportation engineer with the Maine Department of Transportation, also spoke in support of the union ranking Troy Jackson first for governor.

“Troy Jackson understands the value of public service and the need for our state government to serve all Mainers, not just a few,” Jonathan French said. “He has seen that for far too many years, state government has been used to benefit monied interests. MaineDOT pays for-profit private contractors doing the same job as state employees for more than triple the costs. State employees have been paying more and more for health insurance premiums and out-of-pocket expenses while the health care industry continues to benefit from LePage and Trump-era tax breaks.”