Recently, I've seen letters to the editor supporting the Democratic challenger to Maine Senate President Mike Thibodeau, criticizing Mike for what he's done in the Legislature — or in some cases — things that never even happened!

I would hope that if you are willing to affix your name to a letter to the editor, you would do your due diligence in making sure its content is correct. In one letter published in the Republican Journal on July 14, they accuse him of voting to uphold a governor's veto when, in fact, the veto on the bill they're talking about was sustained in the House of Representatives and never even came to the Senate. It took a correction by Thibodeau's office to set the record straight. At best these supporters are guilty of negligence, at worst they are intentionally lying to portray the senator in a bad light.

Mike Thibodeau has a long list of accomplishments during his time in the Legislature. He puts an emphasis on working with the other party and understands that compromise and respect is the best way to get things done, especially when different parties control each chamber of the State House. Perhaps this is why he was unanimously voted to be Maine Senate President, and rightly received glowing praise and support in April when he refused to hold any roll call votes until Senator-elect Susan Deschambault — a Democrat — was sworn in by an inexcusably recalcitrant Governor LePage.

Locally speaking, he is an effective and dedicated public servant. When efforts were underway to cut municipal funding to local communities and raise property taxes in the process, Mike worked with others and voted to protect the homeowners and small business owners of Waldo County.

When our rural nursing homes were in financial trouble, it was Mike who worked tirelessly, meeting with tenants and administrators and then helping to secure additional funding for nursing homes.

Like in many issues, he led the charge in providing emergency funding to fight Maine's heroin epidemic, putting more law enforcement on the ground and expanding treatment for addicts. He also sponsored legislation to make improvements at Belfast Municipal Airport that will increase capacity, making Waldo County more accessible to businesses and members of the public.

I could go on, but you get the idea. Mike Thibodeau has been an outstanding leader who consistently votes for the people of Waldo County. I'm very proud to call him not only my state senator, but my Senate President and a prominent leader in my party, a party all too often dominated by more controversial and embarrassing figures.

I currently go to law school in Portland, but no matter where I go or what I do I will always proudly consider myself to be from Freedom. Come November, I am going to vote for Mike Thibodeau. I hope you will join me!

Tyler Hadyniak lives in Freedom