Maine Democratic Socialists of America co-chair Sophie G. welcomed more than one hundred members and friends from across the state who met in Portland over the weekend. Alongside nuts and bolts discussions and elections for the group’s organizing committees and working groups, Maine DSA welcomed solidarity greetings from allies and friends, including the Maine Coalition for Palestine and the Maine-based immigrants rights organization Presente! as well as reports from Maine Youth Power and the Maine Gun Safety Coalition. Members also hosted several workshops including a panel on the opportunities and pitfalls of electoral politics, renters organizing in the mid-coast, and the ABCs of being a good organizer. 

Maine DSA accomplished a lot over the last year. We elected Wes Pelletier to serve alongside Kate Sykes as Portland’s two socialist city councilors. Comrades in Brunswick launched the Brunswick Renters Organization and made their voices heard in city council hearings—even if the city councilors “value the class position of a landlord over the class position of a tenant” as DSAer Peach Cushing put it at the time. 

Members are also launching a new organizing committee in South Portland as well as building up working groups to defend bodily autonomy—for LGTBQ+ and reproductive rights—and to expand our solidarity work with the labor movement. In another sign of members’ increasing dedication, a full slate of candidates ran to fill more open leadership positions than last year. Yet, despite that good work, everyone recognized the depth of the danger facing working-class Mainers heading into Trump’s second term—not the least of which is the fact that local Republican county committees are openly celebrating Trump’s pardon for Maine’s very own January 6 insurrectionists. 

Last week Pine & Roses published a proposal to guide our organizing over the coming year and it was taken up at the conference. The resolution emphasizes the dangers Trump represents and frankly acknowledges that we are facing “a period of increased attacks on marginalized communities, the labor movement, public education, and the working class as a whole.” As such, “socialists must play a frontline role in defending the working class from attacks by the far right” even as “the political environment in Maine, as of 2025, presents opportunities to resist the Trump administration and make gains at the state and municipal levels.” 

In order to put this analysis to the test, Maine DSA aims to work side by side a wide array of allies to defend immigrants, the trans community, indigenous sovereignty, unions, public education, and democracy in general while simultaneously building up the socialist movement’s reach across the state. During the debate, several members suggested the resolution ought to have a more clearly defined international section. One member proposed an amendment (which passed with a clear majority voting in favor) to specify that Maine DSA aims to “challenge the hegemony of the Democratic Party.” Thus amended, the resolution passed (nearly) unanimously. Now comes the hard work of trying to put ideas into action. 

As we do, the more activists and organizers we can muster the better. So if you’re looking for a way to join the fight against Trump, please consider getting in touch with us and joining Maine DSA.