Advancing Comprehensive Immigration Reform ​ David will help in addressing our nation’s immigration challenges by supporting efforts to: Pass comprehensive immigration reforms that facilitate legal immigration and aid in resolving our nation’s growing worker shortages .

Democratic U.S. Senate Candidate David Costello Urges Support for Long-Overdue Reforms to End Congressional Dysfunction and Tackle our Nation’s Most Pressing Problems 31 May 2024 ​ BANGOR, Maine – (On Friday, May 31st, at 7 pm. ET) In an address to Maine Democrats, U.S. Senate candidate David Costello urged fellow Democrats to back “long-overdue” legislative and constitutional reforms to better protect personal rights and freedoms and more effectively tackle such pressing problems as climate change, escalating gun violence, economic inequality, unaffordable housing and healthcare, and insufficient retirement security. Costello said “What clearly isn’t working in Washington, is doing more of the same. Fighting over a half-dozen House and Senate seats, when substantive systems reform is what is really needed.” Costello’s speech hit on a lot of points such as: his formative years, his qualifications and experience, and how he would strive to advance sound reforms and policies to end dysfunction in Washington and ensure that all Americans are provided with the security, education, job skills, and other life enriching to thrive. For a copy of his speech, click here

Ensuring Civil,Civic, and Human Rights ​ David will help in expanding our nation's civil, civic, and human rights by supporting efforts to: Protect the reproductive rights of women and the civil rights of everyone, including LGBTQIA+ persons. Approve the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). Enact the John Lewis Voting Rights Act.

Strengthening National Security David will help in bolstering national security by supporting efforts to: Maintain military and intelligence gathering superiority over all potential rivals, especially China and Russia. Prioritize nuclear and conventional arms control agreements. Expand military and intelligence gathering alliances. Strengthen trade and foreign policy agencies and agreements. Become more fully, intelligently, and responsibly engaged in world affairs. Boost our nation's overall global economic competitiveness.

Health Care David will help in guaranteeing adequate and affordable health care by supporting efforts to: Offer Medicare, including dental and vision care, to all who want it. Improve existing Affordable Care Act and other federal healthcare provisions for those who choose not to enroll in Medicare.

On the Campaign Trail July 3rd Block Party in Sanford. Brunswick Pride! Memorial Day Parade in Biddeford. Lewiston DEM Caucus . Yarmouth DEM Caucus. Collecting Signatures with Bates Democrats. Jeanne in Saco, Maine. Beach to Beacon. Cape Elizabeth, Maine. Lewiston Balloon Festival. Bangor 4th of July Parade! Brewer, Maine. Moxie Festival. Lisbon, Maine. Skowhegan, Maine. South Portland. Waterville, Maine. Canvassing in Gardiner. Gardiner, Maine. Bath Heritage Days. Bath, Maine.

GET INVOLVED Join David, Sign Up Now WAYS TO HELP Tell us how you’d like to get involved, a member of our team will get in touch soon Knock on Doors Make Calls Social Media Blitz Host Fundraiser SUBMIT Thanks for submitting!

Adequately Addressing Climate Change ​ David will help in adequately addressing climate change by supporting efforts to: D evelop and implement an aggressive national, science-based climate action plan that includes, among other components: strict greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions caps; ambitious GHG sequestration and "draw down" goals and actions; expanded clean energy, clean transportation, and energy efficiency initiatives; smarter development and land use regulations; greener appliance and building construction standards; and increased funding to mitigate the growing impacts of climate change.

Protecting Our Environment ​ David will help in further protecting our environment by supporting efforts to: Enact more stringent air and water quality standards and regulations. Require courts to defer to federal agencies when rules they make are reasonable and enabling laws are ambiguous (codify Chevron deference). Preserve more places of natural beauty and ecological importance. Enact smarter, more sustainable development laws and regulations. Develop and implement a national Zero Waste plan to reduce, reuse, or eliminate hazardous and solid waste in the U.S. Enact stricter land and water conservation laws and regulations.

Friends: For generations, we Americans have labored to establish a more just, secure, and prosperous nation. One in which everyone is treated fairly, and all are provided with the opportunity to excel. And while we have made considerable progress over the years, we have yet to establish the kind of more perfect union envisioned by our most thoughtful founders and descendants. ​ We have fallen short, in large part, because our governing infrastructure is as outdated as many of our roads, ports, and bridges. Partisan gridlock and government dysfunction abound, and our imperfect democracy is in danger of becoming even more flawed. Strengthening Democracy and Governance To fix this, we need to do more than simply changing whom we elect every two to six years. We need to think bigger and act boldly. More specifically, we need to substantially reform our governing practices and institutions and eliminate the excessive and corrupting influence that money, wealth, and disinformation have over our politics and government. ​ I am running for the United States Senate because I want to help in advancing long overdue legislative and constitutional reforms that will not only aid in strengthening our democracy and economy, but also help in protecting our rights and freedoms, including women's reproductive rights and LGBTQ freedoms, and assist in addressing such pressing problems as climate change, escalating gun violence, economic inequality, inadequate health care, shoddy infrastructure, underperforming schools, and insufficient retirement security. Doing More for Maine I am also running because I want to help in ensuring that all Mainers have access to affordable, quality healthcare and are provided with the education, job skills, and other life enriching opportunities to thrive. Having grown up in Old Town in a working-class family, I can appreciate the challenges confronting many of Maine’s less affluent families. For too long, too many Maine communities have watched the promise of the next generation slip away for lack of good paying jobs and career prospects. As Maine’s Senator, I will fight for more funding for education and worker training programs; transportation, clean energy, and communications infrastructure; and innovative economic and community development initiatives. Ideas Matter - So Too Does Experience. With more than twenty-five years of senior-level government experience - managing complex, multi-million dollar programs and operations including initiatives to combat climate change, revitalize communities, protect public health and the environment, and advance peaceful democratic change in such conflict-torn countries as Cambodia, Haiti, Bosnia, Croatia, Serbia, and Kosovo - I believe that I have the broadest and most fitting experience of all the candidates competing to represent Maine in the United States Senate and the soundest ideas for tackling our most pressing problems. In closing, I would add that I am the proud son of an Army veteran and AFL-CIO organizer and grandson of French and Irish American shoe, textile, and railroad workers. I know the value of hard work. I understand the importance of a solid education, and I appreciate the constructive role that democratic government is obliged to play. I will work hard for every vote, and I ask for your support. Thank you. David ​ P.S. Please check out my ambitious Reform Agenda and Policy Priorities pages for more detail. ​

Enhancing Public Safety ​ David will help in enhancing public safety by supporting efforts to: Increase funding for community policing, substance abuse, and mental health services. Focus increased investigative and prosecutorial resources on violent offenses . Enhance police training and accountability. Build on recent common-sense gun safety laws and regulations.

​ U.S. Senate Candidate David Costello Submits Nomination Petitions to Qualify for Maine’s June 11 Primary Ballot March 12, 2024 ​ Brunswick, ME – Democratic U.S. Senate Candidate David Costello today submitted 195 petitions containing the signatures of 2,500 registered Maine Democrats, the maximum admissible, to qualify for Maine’s June 11 Democratic primary ballot. Costello said that he decided to run for the U.S. Senate because, “like many in Maine,” he’s “very concerned about the health of our democracy and the performance of our government.” Costello contends that “Washington is broken” and that to fix it “we need to do more than simply change who we elect every two to six years. We need to substantially reform our governing practices and institutions, and eliminate the excessive and corrupting influence that money, wealth, and disinformation have over our politics and government.” Costello said that he is "committed to advancing long overdue legislative and constitutional reforms that will not only aid in strengthening our democracy and government, but also help in better protecting our rights and freedoms, including reproductive rights and freedoms, and assist in more actively and effectively addressing such pressing problems as climate change, escalating gun violence, unaffordable housing and health care, economic inequality, shoddy infrastructure, underperforming schools, and insufficient retirement security." Costello added, "What clearly isn’t working in Washington, is doing more of the same. Fighting over a half-dozen or slightly more U.S. House or Senate seats, when substantive systems change, is what is really needed.” Having grown up in a working-class family in Old Town and having worked for more than 25 years in senior level state, local, and federal government positions, including in Maine and abroad, Costello believes that he has the broadest and most germane and hands-on experience of all the candidates competing to represent Maine in the U.S. Senate. With respect to Senator King, Costello said that “while he appreciates the Senator’s service, he believes that Senator King has been too reticent to pursue the kind of reforms needed to truly fix Washington and that he is unlikely to alter his overly cautious approach during what is likely to be his last term.”