Unlike Greg Kesich (The View From Here, Sept. 22), I have known Ethan Strimling for 30-plus years. And, unlike Greg Kesich, I have seen him fight for regular people during that entire time.

At the University of Maine, he fought against sending our troops to Iraq and against isolating victims of AIDS. As director of LearningWorks, he helped at-risk kids gain job skills. As state senator, he fought for better wages, passing the largest two-year minimum-wage increase Maine workers had ever seen. There’s consistency here.

As mayor, he fought to rebuild our schools. He passed property tax relief for seniors, pushed up wages for construction workers, stood up to developers and supported the pesticides ban, which put the long-term health of our city’s people, plants and animals above convenience and profit.

So, while Kesich may never have seen Ethan as “a working-class hero,” those of us paying attention know that is exactly who he is.