U.S. Senate candidate Sara Gideon and musician Maggie Rogers shared the spotlight together briefly Monday night during the Democratic National Convention.
Maine’s photogenic coastline – Prouts Neck in Scarborough, to be precise – made a cameo as well.
In a prerecorded clip, Gideon stood in front of a rock outcropping leading to the ocean while waves crashed against the rocks in the background.
.@maggierogers wants you to vote.https://t.co/sRyMFHiAbI pic.twitter.com/UKI8vtcuK6
— 2024 Democratic National Convention (@DemConvention) August 18, 2020
“I’m Sara Gideon and I’m running to represent Maine in the U.S. Senate,” she said. “Every day, I see the caring and resilient spirit that will get us through this crisis. Americans are looking out for one another. It’s time we had leadership in Washington that did the same. With Joe Biden in the White House and a Democratic Senate, I know we can build back our economy and our communities even stronger.”
Gideon, Maine’s speaker of the House, then introduced Rogers as “someone who has strong ties to our state and is here in Maine with me.”
The camera panned from Gideon to Rogers, who stood several feet away with an acoustic guitar and microphone and performed her song, “Back In My Body.” Rogers, 26, a folk singer/songwriter who was nominated for Best New Artist at this year’s Grammy Awards, was among several musicians who made appearances at the Democratic National Convention on Monday, including Leon Bridges, Stephen Stills and Billy Porter. The event, which is being held virtually, will culminate in the official nomination of former Vice President Joe Biden and California U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris as the Democratic presidential ticket.
Gideon’s campaign declined to provide any additional details about her appearance Tuesday.
Rogers, who grew up in Maryland, attended Camp Wohelo in Raymond for several years and in 2017 filmed the video for her song “Dog Years” there. She has performed at Port City Music Hall, the State Theatre and, most recently, at Thompson’s Point, in two sold-out shows last year.
A publicist for Rogers declined a request for an interview with the singer, saying she was unavailable, and didn’t respond to questions about whether she has been living in Maine, though posts on Rogers’ Instagram account indicate she’s been spending time in the state since March.
The video of Gideon and Rogers was shot on Aug. 3 by Portland-based video agency P3.
CJ Lampman, executive producer for P3, said that a crew of about 10 people shot the recording on Prouts Neck over about four hours. He said Rogers was “amazing” to work with and willing to stay as long as necessary. “She was very down to earth and involved creatively. “
Director of photography Morgan Myer said that conditions couldn’t have been any better on the day of the shoot, with the wind blowing and the sun reflecting off Rogers’ white clothing. “It was all about body position and waiting for the right time,” Myer said. Like Lampman, Myer spoke highly of working with Rogers. “She was very focused on the performance, very professional and kind to the crew. “
On Monday, Rogers took to Twitter to endorse Gideon and share a campaign donation link. On several social media platforms, Rogers said she was honored to be performing at the convention. Also Monday, former President Barack Obama included Rogers’ song “Love You For A Long Time” on his 2020 Summer Playlist.
Gideon is the main challenger to U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, a Republican who is seeking her fifth term. The race, which also features Green Independent Lisa Savage and Republican-turned-independent Max Linn, is one of the most closely watched Senate races in the country. Democrats see Collins as vulnerable – she trails in all public polls to date – and hope Gideon can help them retake the majority. Republicans, meanwhile, are banking that Collins and other Republicans up for re-election can hold their seats.
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