In the midst of this very scary moment, something uplifting happened. Nearly 350 Democrats — representing every single one of our 26 Waldo County towns — showed up on Sunday, March 1 to caucus. There was a spirit in that room, not easy to describe. Let’s say it felt like the warmth of being among family, the hum of shared hope, and the grit and gumption of people ready to fight for what they love with all the love they can muster.
It was our first-ever countywide caucus. Members of our Waldo County Democratic Committee (WCDC) had voted to shift from the town-by-town meetings that have long defined local Democratic organizing. The idea was to see if coming together in one room on one afternoon would build connections, harmony, and solidarity — and ultimately the power to elect Democrats up and down the ballot.
The afternoon had the feel of a community celebration as much as a political gathering. During the pre-meeting hour, Contra dance musicians filled the place with rousing tunes, home bakers offered tempting treats at a bake sale, and kids made art at a children’s table. Meanwhile, nineteen county, state, and federal candidates — or their surrogates — stood at tables, signing up supporters and volunteers.
The two-hour official program opened with a welcome from Belfast Mayor Eric Sanders, who led the crowd in singing “America the Beautiful.” Caucus Convener Stanley Paige Zeigler led the Pledge of Allegiance, and the group elected Lynda Munro as Caucus Secretary and Paige Zeigler as Caucus Chair.
Chair Zeigler set the tone for the afternoon with a rallying call to action that reminded everyone what had brought us together. Read his inspiring speech below.
Each of the nineteen candidates or their surrogates addressed the room for three minutes, followed by passionate remarks from attendees on the floor. We then elected 43 delegates to the Maine Democratic Party State Convention, set for May 1–2. Many Dems stayed well after the caucus adjourned, continuing conversations with candidates and each other.
An event like this doesn’t happen without an extraordinary team of people making it work behind the scenes. Please join me in thanking:
WCDC Volunteers: Sara Salley, Mary Eads, Andi Maxwell-Blood, Sarah Hardy, Alan Hebert, Mary Lou and Bart Carhart, Teresa Toole, Quincy Hamilton, Victoria Olson, Paul Follansbee, Gina Fry, Kathy Kreamer, Janine Gates, Crystal Vaccaro, Cooper Reed, Paul Robie, Bob Adler, Betsy Headley, Jeff Smith, Gianne Conard, Rep. Jan Dodge, and Dawn Walls.
Belfast Area High School Staff: Custodians Ernie Moores and Richard Christensen, and tech advisor Dr. Dave Fournier.
Musicians: Mary Kaldenbaugh, Lorelei MacKinnon, Mary Brann, Eric Rolfson, Fredi Laporte, Rick Fitzsimmons, Polly Beck, Dot O’Dell, Scott O’Dell, and Kay Zegel.
WCDC Executive Committee: Chair Paige Zeigler, Vice Chair Valerie Tate, Secretary Lynda Munro, Treasurer Gail Chase, DEIB-designated Executive Committee Member Mike Bird, and At Large Members Cheryl Cassidy and Sue Conard.
And especially WCDC Engagement Committee Chair Jana Herbener, who organized our volunteers and made sure the afternoon ran smoothly.
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Remarks by Chair Stanley Paige Zeigler
Waldo Countywide Democratic Caucus · Sunday, March 1, 2026
Belfast Area High School, Belfast, Maine
Welcome Democrats. I think we all know why we are here. We want to stop MAGA in DC and Augusta. Trump called us CRAZY on Tuesday. Damn straight we are crazy. We are crazy enough to want to work collectively to have an inclusive society, a society that honors the labor of everyone, a society that respects our environment, a society that doesn’t let people go to sleep hungry in an alleyway or not get the proper healthcare we need and lastly a society that prepares our children to face their future. We are crazy enough to go to the streets to march so that a personal army in masks stops violating civil rights. We are crazy enough to want to impeach the most incompetent cabinet and a President, who starts wars to get oil and who hides what is happening here. We are crazy enough to want to stop tech and corporate billionaires draining our bank accounts. We are crazy enough to knock on doors and to drive candidates, write postcards and letters to the editors and most importantly, run for office.
We need to open the eyes of those people who didn’t vote, to realize that in an American autocratic state no one is safe unless they are wearing red ballcaps. We are Democrats and we have a spectrum of opinions. But as Democrats we must coalesce around the word DEMOCRACY. Without that word, we don’t have a chance for a majority in our legislatures and any policies you are supporting will never get to see daylight. Do not waste your vote, vote for the person who won the primary, even if they are not your candidate. “Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good.” And remember to ask those who didn’t vote, if they think they will be better off, by sitting this midterm out.
Also remember that the national elections are the sexy ones and often suck the air out of the room, but your state campaigns are just as important. If we lose the majority in our State House, we lose the Attorney General and Secretary of State. Republicans are in a position of power because they focused on winning the states years ago. Meet your district candidates or representatives for the Maine legislature. Without these State legislators, you will have terrible policies coming out of Augusta. We need everyone pulling together to save our nation and state.
You can sign up here to volunteer or through our website waldocountydemocrats.com. Please get involved and work together before the clowns take us so far backward, we’ll never again be able to go forward. Stop the politics of Hate. Show MAGA just how crazy we can be by winning the midterms.
