High tariffs, the core economic policy of the Donald Trump administration, are facing a backlash. Dissatisfaction over tariffs and soaring fuel costs is growing among lobster fishers and farmers in Maine, a key base of support for President Trump. Even the outlook for the Maine Senate race, a pivotal battleground in the Nov. election, appears to be wobbling.
The Financial Times (FT) in the United Kingdom recently reported that fishers in Maine, the largest lobster-producing state in the United States, are suffering a double blow from tariffs and high oil prices. The high tariffs on steel and aluminum imposed by the Trump administration targeting China and the European Union (EU) have led to higher equipment prices for fishers. On top of that, fuel prices have surged due to tensions with Iran, sharply worsening profitability.
Simon Torres, a fisherman in the small coastal village of Winter Harbor on Maine's eastern shore who has been catching lobster for seven generations, told the FT, "Tariffs are lasting far longer than we expected," adding, "The longer this goes on, the worse it gets." Torres said, "I burn 100 gallons of diesel a day, and fuel prices have jumped. Higher transportation costs have even pushed up bait prices," and added, "Many of us supported Trump, but we are now shouldering the highest fuel costs ever."
Another fisher, Jason, also lamented that the price of 100 to 150 pots that must be replaced annually has risen by more than $15 apiece this year. Pot materials are mainly imported from Italy and China, and ropes from Portugal. All are countries targeted by the Trump administration's tariffs.
Lobster itself is not directly subject to the tariffs. But because many of the gear and materials needed for fishing come from overseas, the tariff burden is ultimately translating into higher expenses for fishers. Blueberry farms and forestry workers are also said to be struggling with rising prices for packaging and equipment.
This "lobster rebellion" is weighing on the Republican strategy to hold Maine in the run-up to the November midterms. In particular, Democrats are mounting an all-out push to unseat senior Republican Sen. Susan Collins.
Collins, in her fifth term, is considered a moderate Republican representing the Washington establishment. She has publicly voiced opposition to President Trump's tariff policy and has pressed the administration to ease the tariff burden on Maine's fishing industry. More recently, she sided with Democrats in supporting a bill to restrict military activities related to Iran, seeking to distinguish herself from President Trump.
Still, observers say it falls short of quelling voter discontent in Maine. According to the FT, a recent poll showed Democratic candidate Graham Plattner leading Collins by 7 percentage points.
Plattner, an Iraq War veteran and former oyster farmer, is rapidly raising his profile by touting worker-focused economic populism. However, some analysts say it is uncertain whether this will carry through to the actual election results, given past social media posts and controversies over his private life that have put him under scrutiny.
Even so, the shift in public sentiment in Maine is being taken as a significant warning sign for the Trump administration. Fishers and farmers, once regarded as among the most loyal supporters, have been hit head-on by tariffs and rising prices, prompting analyses that the political expenses of the "Trump economy," driven by tariffs, are beginning to surface in earnest. The FT reported, "Lobster fishers' discontent could affect not only the Maine Senate race but also governance in the latter half of Trump's term."