Betsy Sweet
Betsy Sweet | |
|---|---|
| Personal details | |
| Born | September 28, 1956 |
| Political party | Democratic |
Betsy Sweet (born September 28, 1956) is an American activist, political organizer, small business owner and mother.[1][2] A Democrat from Hallowell, Maine, Sweet is a candidate in the 2020 United States Senate election in Maine. She is a progressive Democrat seeking to unseat Republican incumbent Susan Collins (R-Maine) in November 2020.
A former director of the Maine Women’s Lobby[3][4] and the Maine Commission for Women[5][not in citation given], as well as a small business owner,[1] Sweet has spent her career advocating for people with disabilities, the elderly, women, children, low-income individuals and families and the environment and natural resources.[1][6] In 2009, EqualityMaine, the state's leading LGBT rights organization gave her the lifetime achievement award for 25 years of her efforts.[7] Reported in 2018, she was one of the named victims of sexual harassment in the Maine statehouse dating back to 1983 in the early days of her career.[8]
In 2016, she organized a protest effort to get then Governor Paul LePage to resign over offensive statements he had made.[9]
She was one of fifteen candidates in the 2018 Maine gubernatorial election,[10] and one of only three to qualify for public money under Maine’s Clean Election Act.[11][12] Sweet finished third in the Democratic primary.[13][14] According to the Clean Elections Board, Sweet spent $8,100 on ineligible expenses for which she must reimburse taxpayers; Sweet has appealed their decision.[15]
Sweet announced her candidacy for U.S. Senate against Collins, on June 13, 2019.[16][17][18]
Sweet helped write and pass the 1996 Maine Clean Election Act.[1][unreliable source?][19]
Sweet is the only major candidate in the 2020 Maine U.S. Senate race who has unequivocally declared support for the Green New Deal and Medicare for All.[citation needed][20][21]
Early career and activism
Sweet has a strong record of organizing and advocating for progressive causes. Her roles include:
- Organizer for the Equal Rights Amendment, 1978–79.[citation needed]
- Program Director, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, 1979–1982.[citation needed]
- Co-Manager, Tom Andrews Congressional Campaign, 1990.[1]
- Director, Maine Women’s Lobby, 1982–1984.[1]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 "Maine governor candidate: Betsy Sweet, Democrat". seacoastonline.com. Archived from the original on 2019-12-19. Retrieved 2019-12-19. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "Betsy Sweet". Maine Democratic Party. April 13, 2018. Archived from the original on December 19, 2019. Retrieved December 26, 2019. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "The Lewiston Daily Sun - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com.
- ↑ "Coalition for Maine Women: Our Legislative Agenda". Archived from the original on 2020-01-03. Retrieved 2020-01-04. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "Maine Department of the Secretary of State – Women's Commission". www.maine.gov. Archived from the original on 2019-11-08. Retrieved 2019-12-19. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ Fishell, Darren (June 5, 2018). "After years as a lobbyist, Betsy Sweet now runs as foe of 'big money in politics'". Bangor Daily News. Archived from the original on January 1, 2020. Retrieved January 4, 2020. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ Harrison, Judy (March 16, 2009). "EqualityMaine to celebrate 25 years". Bangor Daily News. Archived from the original on January 1, 2020. Retrieved January 4, 2020. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "More lobbyists, lawmakers demand change at Maine statehouse". The Seattle Times. February 28, 2018. Archived from the original on January 1, 2020. Retrieved January 4, 2020. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "Hundreds rally in effort to convince LePage to resign". Archived from the original on 2020-01-01. Retrieved 2020-01-04. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ Merrill, Paul (May 26, 2018). "Commitment 2018 Candidate Profile: Betsy Sweet". Archived from the original on January 1, 2020. Retrieved January 4, 2020 – via www.wmtw.com. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ LaCasse, Alex. "3 qualify as clean election candidates in Maine governor's race". seacoastonline.com. Archived from the original on 2019-12-29. Retrieved 2019-12-29. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ Hoey, Dennis; Writer, Eric Russell Staff (May 2, 2018). "Cote, Sweet lead Democrats in fundraising for governor's race; Moody, Mason lead Republicans". Archived from the original on December 19, 2019. Retrieved December 19, 2019. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "Janet Mills is Democrats' choice in race to succeed LePage". Archived from the original on 2019-12-29. Retrieved 2020-01-04. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ Almukhtar, Sarah; Bloch, Matthew; Lee, Jasmine C. (June 12, 2018). "Maine Primary Election Results" – via NYTimes.com.
- ↑ "Democratic US Senate candidate may have to repay taxpayer funds from Maine gubernatorial run". Archived from the original on 2019-12-31. Retrieved 2020-01-04. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ Writer, Scott ThistleStaff (June 13, 2019). "Democrat Betsy Sweet announces election challenge to Sen. Collins in 2020". Archived from the original on December 19, 2019. Retrieved December 19, 2019. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ Klar, Rebecca (July 2, 2019). "Democrat challenging Collins raises $1M in first week". TheHill. Archived from the original on January 1, 2020. Retrieved January 4, 2020. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "Progressive Democrat Betsy Sweet unveils bid to challenge Susan Collins". Archived from the original on 2019-07-24. Retrieved 2020-01-04. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "Sweet announces she will challenge Sen. Collins – Waldo VillageSoup". waldo.villagesoup.com.
- ↑ Sweet, Betsy (December 21, 2019). "Betsy Sweet: 'Medicare for All' is the only solution to the U.S. health care crisis". The Press Herald. Archived from the original on December 29, 2019. Retrieved December 29, 2019. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "How the favorite and an underdog are diverging in the Democratic race to face Susan Collins". Archived from the original on 2019-12-29. Retrieved 2019-12-29. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help)
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