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The Maine Credit Union League’s annual Legislative Forum brought together credit union leaders, advocates, and industry partners at the Harraseeket Inn in Freeport on September 9 for a day of insightful discussion, political analysis from a range of speakers, and a new interactive digital advocacy simulation.
This year’s Forum, held less than two months before Midterm Elections, featured a lineup of speakers who explored the changing political landscape at both the state and national levels from their own perspectives. With so much national attention on races here in Maine, the presentations were insightful and timely.
The program opened with National Journal’s The Hotline Editor Kirk Bado, who provided attendees with an inside look at today’s political environment and the major trends shaping the upcoming election cycle. Drawing on his experience covering national politics, Bado examined the forces driving voter behavior, key races to watch, and predictions about what seats were most likely to flip.
Attendees next heard from Dr. Ron Schmidt, Chair of the Political Science Department at the University of Southern Maine. Schmidt explored Maine’s unique political culture, examining how the state’s political landscape compares to broader national trends. Following his presentation, Schmidt participated in a question-and-answer session with League Director of Advocacy & Compliance Jared Gay, giving attendees the opportunity to further explore the political dynamics shaping Maine and the nation.
Veteran Maine journalist Don Carrigan spoke to the crowd after lunch. A fixture in State House reporting for decades, Carrigan reflected on the changes he has witnessed throughout his career covering Maine government and politics. During his presentation and subsequent discussion with Jen Burke, League VP – Outreach & Operations, Carrigan shared observations on the increasing partisanship in state politics, the evolution of the Legislature, and the impact those changes have had on policymaking and public discourse in Augusta (including a few personal stories along the way).
The last presentation of the day introduced a unique new twist for Legislative Forum: an interactive advocacy training called Political Capital. This session was led by Andy Dennis of America’s Credit Unions and Cat Proulx of Beekeeper Group, the developer team behind Political Capital. Attendees participated in teams to make decisions as credit union advocates to stop a harmful bill in the Maine Legislature. Each round took participants through a different part of the legislative process, with different advocacy tools being awarded greater or fewer points based on their efficacy. The game provided a fun way for credit union employees to get a sense of what it’s like to encounter a realistic harmful bill head-on and see the array of tools used to combat it.
The Forum also featured the League’s annual Silent Auction benefiting Maine’s Credit Unions PAC (formerly CULAC), helping support efforts to elect and strengthen relationships with policymakers who understand and support the credit union mission. Thanks to all who donated, the silent auction ended as a great success, surpassing last year’s fundraising total.
The day wrapped up with closing remarks from League President Elise Baldacci and the announcement of annual PAC Award winners. Maine’s Credit Unions PAC Awards recognize the credit unions and the individuals who go above and beyond in supporting credit union advocacy efforts through their fundraising and time. Top Contributor Awards came first, recognizing the credit unions that contributed the most to the PAC over the past year, divided into small and large credit unions based on asset size. This year’s top contributor for a small credit union was Community CU, and this year’s top contributor for a large credit union was Evergreen CU. Then came the Top Individual Donor Award: Ryan Poulin, President/CEO of New Dimensions FCU. Lastly, in recognition of his immense support of credit union advocacy, particularly in support of our credit union allies in office, Poulin took the win again!
Jason Lindstrom with Elise Baldacci and Jared Gay.
Ryan Poulin accepts one of his awards from Elise Baldacci and Jared Gay.
The Legislative Forum will always be an important opportunity for Maine’s credit union community to better understand the political landscape, build relationships with fellow advocates, and prepare for the policy discussions that will shape the future of the industry. Gay shared, “It is always inspiring to see credit union leaders from every corner of Maine come together to connect, learn from one another, and build a stronger advocacy network—the 2026 Legislative Forum saw that.” As credit unions continue their work to improve the financial well-being of their members and communities, the insights and connections gained during the Forum will help ensure their voice remains strong in Augusta and beyond.
We hope to see you all in 2028 as the Forum switches to a biannual schedule!