_Jason Legassie_

Jon Fishman was an avid supporter for Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign from early on, and the Phish drummer now credits Sanders’ words for inspiring him to enter a race for his local government, according to The Free Press.

“Bernie was saying, ‘Look at all of you people who got on the Sanders campaign and cared about these issues, you should run for your local offices, your school boards, your select boards and committees,’” Fishman says. “Public service is needed across the board, so I guess that kind of sentiment just sat with me.”

The drummer officially entered himself as a candidate for the Board of Selectmen in Lincolnville, ME, today, along with two other candidates. The incumbents have yet to enter the race, but still have time before the deadline.

“It’s not an ego thing or anything like that,” says Fishman, whose wife, Briar, is on the local school board. “It’s kind of the opposite. I’ve done really well in my line of work, I’ve had a lot of success and I love my job. And I guess I could sit on my butt somewhere and not be engaged, but we do have a personal stake in the well-being of the town.” Fishman is attending meetings of the selectboard to “learn about a range of local issues” and says he intends to “go into this with both feet.”

“If I’m going to do it, I want to do a good job,” he says. “I’m going to be engaged, and I have no interest in doing it half-assed.”