Pat Taub
Lisa Savage, 62, a public school teacher from Skowhegan, Maine had been contemplating her upcoming retirement in the standard ways–a chance to travel, take up a new interest, and more time with the grandkids–when she received phone calls from several Green Party activists asking her to consider a run for the US Senate in 2020 against Susan Collins.
The author’s photo of Lisa taken during our interview
Lisa, a longtime peace and justice activist and organizer, couldn’t say no, feeling like it was her chance to represent issues not presently being addressed in Maine.
In a matter of days Lisa’s exploratory campaign for the US Senate was off and running. Her first step has been to put out feelers to determine if there is enough support for her candidacy. Assuming there is, the next step is to collect signatures from registered Greens during the 90 days from next January to March in order to get on the June 2020 primary ballot.
Lisa is part of the changing political landscape where women with decades in community organizing are making the leap to run for elected office, frequently surprising pollsters with their victories.
Their appeal is their strong connection to their communities where they have their fingers on the pulse of what really matters to their neighbors. For more than a decade Lisa has taught school in Somerset County, Maine’s largest and poorest county, Lisa has seen up close how families struggle to survive on low wages, unaffordable health care, and sky- rocking housing prices.
Curious about Lisa’s Senate bid I requested an interview to learn more. When we sat down to talk Lisa told me that political office is somewhat of a tradition in her family. Lisa is an 8th generation Mainer. Her grandfather Savage served in both the Maine Senate and House. Her father was running for the Maine House at the time of his death.
Key to Lisa’s platform are a Green New Deal, Medicare for all, fully funded public schools and the elimination of student debts.
Key aspect of the Green New Deal which Lisa advocates
For a number of years Lisa has been actively engaged with the campaign to convert Bath Iron Works (BIW), into green jobs or those promoting sustainable energy. Lisa wants Mainers to understand that the nuclear warships built at Bath not only drain money from social programs, but contribute to our high carbon footprint, thereby making climate catastrophe worse.
Lisa has been arrested three times at BIW after joining in non-violent protests during the christening of warships built at Bath.
Lisa being arrested at Bath Iron Works this past spring during a nonviolent protest at a christening of a nuclear warship
In 2016 Lisa founded The Maine Natural Guard, “to help people connect the dots between the Pentagon and its harmful role in the climate crisis,” stressing that the Pentagon produces “more greenhouse gases than a total of 140 nations.”
Lisa chairing a recent climate catastrophe conference in Portland
Lisa reminded me that Susan Collins hasn’t held a town hall meeting in 20 years. In contrast Lisa plans to hold regular town halls throughout the state so she can respond to her constituents’ ongoing concerns.
For several years Lisa was a tireless organizer in the campaign to eliminate Skowhegan High School’s Indian mascot on the grounds that its racist symbolism was offensive to Native Americans. It was a long hard community battle with strong feelings on both sides, but this March the Skowhegan school board voted 14-9 to retire the nickname “Indians” for all schools in the district.
In May a state law was passed banning Indian mascots in all state public schools and colleges, making Maine the first state in the country to ban Indian mascots.
Lisa, wearing her father’s Skowhegan High School varsity sweater, lobbying to have the Skowhegan Indian mascot retired.
Lisa anticipates facing criticism that running as a Green Party candidate will split the votes of Collins opponents, making it easier for Collins to win. Lisa points out with Maine’s new ranked choice voting, voters mark their first, second and third choices, so no vote is wasted.
Lisa Savage represents the new older woman, whose increased life expectancy and lengthy resume serving community is ready and able for a new calling as she contemplates retirement. I, for one, long to see elected officials brimming with Crone wisdom.
