John, it's Governor Janet Mills.

Today, I'm reaching out on behalf of the Maine Democrats as they're up against their end-of-quarter deadline. They're working to create real, positive change in our communities that will benefit all Mainers, so before we get into today's email, will you join me in showing support?

There's a quote I've been returning to lately, a question attributed to poet Percy Bysshe Shelley: "How long do you intend to remain content?"

That question should resonate in the minds of everyone, especially public servants and those in positions of power, in today's complex and uncertain world. It's certainly on mine.

It makes me think of my father, a burly country lawyer who sometimes took chickens in trade for a fee. He was a World War II veteran who frequently spoke about the need to protect against the rise of dictatorships.

He told me it was important in life to stand up for people who couldn't fend for themselves. He would often say, "You can't let bullies have their way. They never stop.”

My father was not one who ever intended to "remain content."

It was my father's voice that I heard when the president of the United States unexpectedly confronted me at the White House and threatened to cut off all federal funds for our small state unless I agreed with him. I replied with what I believed any country lawyer would say: "See you in court."

Because now is not the time to remain content and allow bullies to have their way – it is the time to stand firm in defense of our democratic values.

The Maine Dems are doing an incredible job of standing up for Mainers and fighting back against the Trump administration. They're organizing support across our state for causes and people who will help us move off the trajectory we're on and towards a better future, where all of us have a chance at success.

Will you make a contribution today, ahead of their end-of-quarter deadline, so they can keep up their community outreach and continue supporting the next generation of Democratic candidates?

We cannot let intimidation win the day. We cannot be afraid to stand up for the rule of law. We cannot long "intend to remain content."

Democracy is never truly lost to us. It is just sometimes not easy to fight for, and hard to see the end of the fight. But I believe in democracy, and I believe in Mainers, and we will see it through.

Thank you, John.

Gov. Janet Mills