This is Planet Money from NPR.

Hey everyone, Karen Duffin here.

Today's episode originally ran in 2018, but I think you will find that it feels very relevant again.

Right this week and in the upcoming months.

And we will have some updates for you at the end.

In the fall of 2010, something unexpected happened in Blue Hill, Maine.

A town where unexpected things rarely happen.

It is a small town about 2600 people tucked into the main coast.

It's a beautiful and yet isolated place.

So you have to kind of go out of your way to get here.

This is Jim Schatz, who lives in Blue Hill.

Jim is friendly, soft spoken, the kind of guy who would quietly do your dishes after a party.

In fact, when we met, he had just helped cook a town Mother's Day brunch.

And hopefully we had a chance to have brunch.

Did you, what did you get there in time?

Sadly I had just eaten.

Anyway, in 2010, when a Maine State Senate seat came open, Jim decided that he was going to go for it.

I thought it had a really good chance, but I thought I would win.

Jim's opponent was a Republican named Brian Langley.

Brian is also very friendly, but in more of a polo shirt neatly tucked in from handshake sound bite kind of way.

I say don't be an activist, be just active in your community.

That is Brian, his campaign strategy.

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