My name is Paige Loud. I recently ran for Congress in Maine's 2nd Congressional District.

My husband Aaron and I launched my campaign during the final semester of my Master's of Social Work program, and his final semester of his undergraduate. I was balancing graduate school, an internship, traveling across one of the largest congressional districts east of the Mississippi, and building a campaign from the ground up without personal wealth or wealthy connections.

Running for office is expensive. But together, we proved something remarkable.

We collected food, Narcan, and other essentials to donate to those in need. We connected with communities often forgotten, and met thousands of Mainers along the way.

I didn’t become a social worker because it was the path to wealth. I didn’t run for Congress because I had millions of dollars or a wealthy network to fund my campaign. I ran because I believe everyday Mainers deserve someone who understands what it’s like to worry about rent, groceries, healthcare, and making ends meet.

As a full-time student and full-time candidate, I was unable to work and bring in enough income to cover our personal living expenses. We are now carrying thousands of dollars in personal debt from rent, utilities, food, and other basic expenses.

Right now, my husband and I are living with family, who have generously opened their home to us while we work to pay down that debt and get back on our feet. We are incredibly grateful for that support, but this is not a permanent solution.

I am actively searching for full-time employment, and I am committed to doing whatever comes next to keep serving my community. Whether that’s through social work, community organizing, mutual aid, or another run for public office someday, I remain committed to fighting for people.

But first, I need to get back on stable financial footing. If I made you feel seen, gave you hope, or showed you that ordinary people can mount a serious campaign without corporate money or personal wealth, I hope you’ll consider contributing.

Every donation, no matter the amount, will go toward paying off the personal debt I incurred while covering basic living expenses. Your support doesn’t just help me financially. It gives my family a chance to regain stability, afford our own home, and continue building a life in the community we have come to love.

And I hope it sends a bigger message, too: working-class people should not be discouraged from seeking public office simply because they aren’t independently wealthy.

Thank you for believing in me, in grassroots politics, and in the idea that our democracy should be open to everyone, not just those who can afford it.

This is NOT a campaign contribution. We are fundraising campaign-related funds separately through our campaign committee.