PORTLAND (NEWS CENTER Maine) – Tiffany Bond is a mother, family law attorney and social media fanatic determined to take on front-runners incumbent Bruce Poliquin and democratic candidate Jared Golden without any outside money.
"I think everybody deserves to see who they're getting warts and all,” Bond said. “I have things that I'm bad at. I lose my car keys on a regular basis."
She shares all of the oddities of her life on her Twitter—including a picture of the half-opened can of tuna in her fridge and a collection of outfits she was torn between for her interview.
Bond is in many ways private and introverted, but far from shy. When it comes to her personal life, her kids are off limits with the exception of their unconventional names.
"Our boys' middle names are Danger and Adventure,” she said. “Why not? If you're gonna screw up your kids' names [make it] middle names!”
There are two names she is not afraid to mess with though: Golden and Poliquin. The Independent candidate said it is time for Maine to prove party affiliation and big money do not matter.
Without that money though, Bond trails well behind the others in polls. Poliquin alone has raised nearly $3 million dollars, according to the latest filing.
Golden and Poliquin have both funded massive ad campaigns in the state ahead of the midterms.
"Given the amount of commercials that are on TV right now, people will probably really like me by the end of October,’ Bond said.
Without the ads, Bond has turned to a social media campaign called #MaineRising in the hopes people willing to donate to her campaign will spend money at local businesses instead.
The initiative has gained some positive attention as ‘donors’ write or say they are ordering from the business because of Bond’s campaign.
"20,000 people place orders all over the district with a note in the memo line that says ‘Hey Tiffany Bond is running to be your congressional rep and she won't take my money, so I'm buying something from you.’ I think that would be hard to beat,” Bond said.
A lack of money is not the only hurdle Bond faces. She and her family only moved to Maine 8 years ago.
Bond grew up in “the other Portland” in Oregon and made the move to Portland, ME to finish law school at UMaine.
Now she hopes to represent District 2, even though she does not live there.
"It's not a new thing. I didn't just serendipitously decide I was going to run in second district because I have huge political ambitions,” Bond said.
She said she has expanded her private law practice throughout the district and plans to move there with her family in the near future.
Regardless of location, Bond has made it clear she will not tolerate the partisanship in Washington. In fact, she said the recent debate over the Kavanaugh hearings have solidified her decision to break from the Republican Party.
"Being an average cute girl is why I am no longer a Republican,” she said.
Voters will use ranked choice come election day—something that could benefit independent candidates across the board.
Regardless of whether or not she wins, Bond hopes her message speaks volumes even if it is shared as a gif to her 7,000 followers on her Twitter feed.
"We're in a space where we have people competing based on their personalities for a job that nobody wants to do,” Bond said. “Maybe we should send somebody who plans to do the job."
A debate with all of the candidates running for congress in the second district is set to air on Monday, Oct. 8 at 7 p.m. on NEWS CENTER Maine.