We've received word that House Speaker Hannah Pingree will endorse Libby Mitchell in her run for the Blaine House. This endorsement comes on the heels of a new poll showing Mitchell leading her competitors - though 61.7% of Democrats polled were still undecided. "I respect all of the Democrats running in this primary," Pingree said, "and will support the winner enthusiastically. But for this primary, my choice is not difficult. I will not only vote for Libby, I will work as hard as I can to make sure she is our nominee and that she makes history in November." The end is close at hand. Many have been saying voter turnout will be low. Everything counts now. You may read Pingree's full endorsement after the jump.
The primaries are almost here. I've made predictions on which Democrat could take the nomination. I cited Pat McGowan's centrist appeal and Steve Rowe's military service as strengths for both candidates. Appropriately leveraged, they could mean the difference between moving on and heading home. It seems someone at each campaign office got the message.
Pine Tree Politics analyzed each GOP gubernatorial candidate's chances of winning their party's nomination. Matt Gagnon explored possible victory scenarios for the candidates as well as the likelihood of them occurring. In conjunction with Bruce Bourgoine of Dirigo Blue, we have done the same. You may read Bruce's scenarios here and mine below.
You could just contact a campaign to discern their chances of winning. That's if you want to hear the same answer from everyone: we're going to win. Matt Gagnon has an interesting analogy for this phenomenon.
Let me put it to you this way - guys, when your girlfriend comes out of the bedroom wearing jeans three sizes too small and asks you, "Do I look fat in this?" What do you say? You sure as hell don't tell her the truth. When a friend of yours who likes to sing tries out for American Idol and looks at you and says, "You think I'm good enough to win, right?" What do you say? You sure as hell don't tell the truth. Similarly, people who you meet and talk to on the campaign trail are forgiving, nice and complimentary - giving you the same impression of the girlfriend who doesn't think her boyfriend thinks she looks fat, even though she really does
Gagnon says earlier that of course candidates and their volunteers will say they're doing great. These people believe in a candidate, or otherwise they wouldn't devote any time for their campaign. I've got another relationship analogy for this one. Think about how it feels when you first start a relationship - the honeymoon phase. This new person is shiny and amazing. You can't stop telling your friends about them and generally pining all day long. People may point out flaws, but you just can't see them.
Primary campaigns can be a lot like that. Most people haven't picked a horse in the race yet. The most recent poll had 22-30% of likely Democratic voters as still undecided, though it's likely closer to 40 or 50%. Those who have chosen their candidate and volunteered for them are a unique bunch. They are solidly in their candidate's corner and highly motivated to see them to victory. When one is strongly behind a candidate, like when beginning a relationship, you want to think the world of them. You'll gladly put the blinders on to prolong that good feeling.
That feeling doesn't generally wear off until later, maybe once they move in with you - or into the Blaine House.
Steve Rowe has released his first TV ad today. He is the final Democrat to join the airwaves. Below is a statement from the Rowe campaign and the ad itself.
The ad makes a basic point: I've spent my life bringing together the best talent Maine has to win the tough fights on behalf of Maine families.
And the ad does something daring, too: it's actually funny. I believe that governing our state is serious business, but that's no reason to take ourselves too seriously.
The party conventions are over. So are our polls. There were more votes cast in the Democratic poll (384) than the Republican poll (175). In our non-scientific poll, Steve Rowe walked away with the win for the Democrats. Rowe finished 20 points ahead of Libby Mitchell and Rosa Scarcelli. On the Republican side, Paul LePage won by almost as big a margin, besting Steve Abbott by 17 points. Below are the results for both polls.
Democratic Poll Results
Steven Rowe (42%, 161 Votes)
Libby Mitchell (22%, 86 Votes)
Rosa Scarcelli (22%, 84 Votes)
Pat McGowan (14%, 55 Votes)
Republican Poll Results
Paul LePage (36%, 63 Votes)
Steve Abbott (19%, 34 Votes)
Peter Mills (16%, 28 Votes)
Les Otten (9%, 15 Votes)
Bill Beardsley (8%, 14 Votes)
Bruce Poliquin (6%, 11 Votes)
Matt Jacobson (6%, 10 Votes)
Gerald is living large at the Maine Democratic convention, so I'm going to fill in for him this morning.
Yesterday AJ Higgins took aim at Bruce Poliquin and Rosa Scarcelli, using the analogy of skunks at a picnic. Higgins wont be invited to any picnics hosted by the two candidates any time soon.
Rep. Mike Michaudannounced yesterday that Maine will be seeing an increase in education funding. $7.3 million in Recovery Act funding will be sent to Maine.
From MBPN:
"This investment will allow our state to improve our education system by ensuring that policies reflect the most accurate data and analysis possible," Michaud says in a statement.
This money will be used to improve data collection on students. Complete and thorough data collection is important to the success of our students. Problem areas can be address early, before they are compounded. Those needing more challenges in school can be identified as well. Considering Maine was give a "D" by A Center for American Progress, American Enterprise Institute and U.S. Chamber of Commerce study last November, we need these funds.
There is some news about former gubernatorial candidate John Richardson. One says that Richardson knew about a complaint concerning fundraising violations on February 22nd, weeks before the alleged four volunteers violated ethics rules. The Kennebec Journal has filed a complaint in Kennebec County Superior Court against the Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices. The KJ wants to see documents related to Richardson's campaign filings. MCEE says no way.
You may have read that Steve Abbottreceived an endorsement from the U.S. Camber of Commerce. Abbott also received an endorsement a little closer to home. Governor of the Passamaquoddy Tribe William Nicholas and Lt. Governor Joseph Socobasin have chosen to back Abbott as Maine's Governor. "Having spent several hours a day in Augusta over the past three years, it's been clear to me the importance of having a Maine Governor who has passion and understanding for the Passamaquoddy people - and I believe Steve Abbott will, no doubt, serve us respectfully as Maine's next Governor," said Governor Nicholas. Nicholas said that Abbott's respect for Maine's outdoor heritage, as well as his commitment to boost Maine's economy.
This endorsement is interesting. Governor Nicholas and Lt. Governor Socobasin chose Abbott not just over his Republican competition, but over Democratic and Independent candidates as well. Both Nicholas and Socobasin are Democrats. They will be changing parties to vote for Abbott. This may show a Reagan Democrat type shift should Abbott win the nomination. That outcome, and how many Democrats and Independents register as Republicans to vote for Abbott is difficult to predict. Given that Peter Mills and Les Otten both have greater name recognition than Abbott, you shouldn't put money on either of those scenarios just yet.
While Maine's tribal nations do have representatives in Maine's legislature, it is largely symbolic representation. Maine's tribal reps cannot cast votes in the legislature at this time. "Every gubernatorial candidate is always welcome to share their vision but few do," said Vera Francis of the Passamaquoddy Tribe. Should Abbott get elected, this could be a perfect opportunity for Maine's tribal nations to receive full representation in Maine's government.
The Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting has set its sites on Democratic candidate Rosa Scarcelli in a recent piece. The MCPIR examines Scarcelli's background:
She has lived mostly in Portland since the age of 12, and attended the Waynflete School for several years, where current tuition runs around $23,000 per year, and graduated from Northfield Mount Hermon School in Massachusetts.
Involvement in her family's business:
"I know that I was lucky to be able to go into the family business at that time," Scarcelli said in a recent interview in her company offices on Commercial Street, conducted under the watchful eye of campaign consultant Dennis Bailey, who was also one of the architects of King's successful campaign for governor.
Her national connections:
Scarcelli has also received consulting help from top Democratic party operatives, including Ricky Arriola of Miami, who is working for the Democratic National Committee on just three campaigns this year - Scarcelli's is one of them.
And Scarcelli's experience:
In an email responding to that issue, she wrote: "Voters are right to question how any governor might succeed, but given the state of our economy and our continuing budget gaps and deficits, do the voters really believe that the experienced politicians are succeeding, that only career politicians need apply?
The bond issue has made it past the Senate and House. LD 1826 passed the Senate with a vote of 31-4 and the House with a vote of 102-44. The bond did not move through without some cuts however. The Senate reduced original $85 million price tag to $57.8 million. Democrats made the reductions to gain Republican support for the bond package, after the original cut from $99 million to $85 million failed to garner GOP support.
The reductions come from many sources. Funds for highways went from $35 million to $25 million. The Montreal, Maine & Atlantic Railway track in Aroostook County will receive $7 million instead of $17 million. $10 million more for the railway preservation will come from the budget stabilization fund ($7 mill) and private funding ($3mill).
More at the AI, including quotes from the Maine Center for Economic Policy and Maine Heritage Policy Center.
Libby Mitchell has submitted more than 3,250 $5 donations required for Clean Election funding. Pat McGowan has also announced the submission of his donations, meeting the $5 requirement and raising $40,000 in seed money. The Mitchell campaign was the first of the Democrats to file. Peter Mills submitted his donations on March 10th, making him the first overall to file. Pat McGowan, having begun his campaign January 5th, completed the Clean Election requirements the quickest, in 84 days. This leaves Democrat John Richardson as the only Clean Election candidate left to file. Richardson's campaign sent out an email on the 29th seeking more $5 contributions. It may come down to the wire for Richardson. Richardson has until this Thursday, April 1st, to file. Legislative candidates have until the 21st of April.
RSU 19 (Dixmont, Etna, Newport, Palmyra, and others) is short $1.8 million. One money saving solution is to close the Palmyra Consolidated School. The school serves 77 students K-4. The Palmyra school is in need of costly repairs. Closing the school would save the district $400,000. "No one wants to close a school in their town; the school is a focal point in the community for many things and nobody wants to take that away," School Board Chairman Dan Costain, of Plymouth said. "I wish there were another way around it." The school board, which would need a two-thirds vote to close the school, will decide the issue April 1st.
The GOP gubernatorial candidates gathered recently in North Yarmouth. The forum, led by Tarren Bragdon, CEO of the Maine Heritage Policy Center, covered a variety of topics. Bragdon asked candidates their position on civil unions in Maine. Nearly all of the candidates said they would be in favor of civil unions. Only Bill Beardsley and Paul LePage said they would not support civil unions for gay and lesbian couples. This is an odd turn for LePage, considering he has stated his support for civil unions already.During an interview at Pine Tree Politics, Matt Gagnon asked Paul LePage his thoughts on Question 1 and gay marriage. LePage stated that he would vote yes on Question 1. LePage went on to explain his feelings on gay marriage and civil unions. LePage's position appears below (the audio begins around 18:00)
UPDATE: LePage's stance on civil unions has been discussed at As Maine Goes. During the discussion, user FLAMMENWERFER stated that LePage felt a "civil contract between unmarried couples, gay or heterosexual, is an acceptable arrangement and a private concern." LePage does not support "civil unions" as he believes the term "mean an oblique sanction of marital union".
In an effort to further clarify his position, Paul LePage has authorized FLAMMENWERFER to present an explanation of his stance of civil unions:
Paul LePage accepts civil contracts. This is clear and it is direct. It is his stated position. He has authorized me to communicate it.
If the distinction he chooses to make between civil union and civil contract seems confusing and obscure, then try to get a grip on this clear and direct statement; HE FAVORS CIVIL CONTRACTS. What more needs to be said?
Changes That Work, in conjunction with the Maine People's Alliance and the Maine SEIU, have organized two protests against Anthem. The group is protesting Anthem's recent rate hikes, adding 18%(reduced to 10.9% by the Maine Insurance Superintendent), then 23% rate increases on policies. The protest is being billed as, "Anthem vs. Maine: Showdown at the Courthouse."
The Maine People's Alliance referred to insurance companies as a "cancer on our health care system." "It's time to cut out the tumor," said MPA Executive Director Jesse Graham. Graham chastised Anthem for their "ruthless profit-seeking." According to Graham Anthem's rate hikes have been harmful to Maine families. Anthem's hikes have led to increased debt in families and forced some small business to close their doors said Graham. "Mainers have had it," stated Graham. "Anthem's greed makes us all sick."
Joe Kennedy took a break from Citizens Energy yesterday to support another cause. Kennedy has endorsed Pat McGowan for governor. Kennedy cited McGowan's ," long career in public service, his devotion to family, and his commitment to helping out those in need" as reasons for his support. Kennedy also pointed out what he believed were McGowan's qualifications in economic development and conservation. McGowan, "approaches every challenge with common sense grounded in experience and a practical nature," said Kennedy. The McGowan camp was of course quite pleased with Kennedy's support.
I am proud to have former Congressman Joe Kennedy's endorsement of my campaign today. It is a great day for the Irish and a great way to look at the impact they have had on American society. In the final count of elections, it will be the endorsement of the people of Maine that I will need to be Maine's next Governor, but this endorsement, especially today, is most welcome.
The deadline to submit petitions to put a candidate on the ballot has passed. The major party primary field shaped up as expected. Pat McGowan, Libby Mitchell, John Richardson, Steve Rowe, and Rosa Scarcelli will run in the Democratic primary. Steve Abbott, Bill Beardsley, Paul LePage, Matt Jacobson, Peter Mills, Les Otten, and Bruce Poliquin round out the GOP primary field. The Maine Green Independent Party will not have a candidate on the ballot however. Lynne Williams announced she would be dropping out of the gubernatorial race today. Despite having 60 volunteers the campaign was unable to meet the 2,000 signature requirement said Williams.
Williams credited the shortfall to the widespread nature of registered Green Party voters in the state. Part of the problem, according to Williams, is that the state has fewer than 30,000 registered Green Party members. (A recent Green Party email touts the 34,500 registered members, the "highest total ever") Williams also cited voter apathy, lack of listed phone numbers, and volunteer efforts spent on meeting Clean Election requirements as factors in the lack of signatures. Williams pulled no punches in her criticism of the two major parties. The Democratic and Republican parties have several hundred thousand members from whom they can collect signatures, said Williams. "The Democrats need to collect one-half-of-one-percent of their registered voters, we need to collect six percent of our registered voters," Williams said. As Pine Tree Politics pointed out, this is a difficult task, but quite possible through proper organizational management. Both Johnathan Carter and Pat LaMarche were able to qualify for the ballot in elections past.
This post was inspired by the writings of Gerald Weinand and Bruce Bourgoine at Dirigo Blue. I'd like to thank them both for continuing the debate.
Not only should Maine's education system continue to evolve, it must continue to evolve. Our education system is still functioning on a Industrial Era model. We continue to question why are kids leave school unprepared and/or uninterested in learning. The answer is right in front of us. Our schools are preparing them to work in factories settings. RING math time RING science RING eat RING english. If we want to equip our children for the way our new world works this has to stop. Learning, as life, should happen outside of the microcosm. There are opportunities to learn about all the Rs integrated in almost every subject. The world is moving toward a workplace that requires inventive problem solving. To compete in a global economy our children will need to leverage one of America's greatest assets; creativity. Why can't our education system do the same?
I have argued that money does not make education, schools should be adequately funded. I don't think anyone can argue that our schools don't require at least a certain level of funding, though we could debate what that is. Still in public education, arguments tend to center around this issue, left or right. We're missing the point. The money argument needs to be tabled until we can solve other critical issues. I cannot stress enough how we need to fundamentally rethink how we deliver knowledge at every level.
You want to talk about increasing efficiency? I'll hit you with some efficiencies. I tell the following story a lot. It illustrates a good point. A teacher friend of mine suggested that he teach the same class for their entire time at his school, instead of shuffling them along year after year. He spends most of the year getting to know his students, their personalities, strengths, weaknesses, etc. Think of the learning time saved if a teacher got all of that out of the way and could continue with the same children. Not to mention the time saved by knowing exactly what they may need to review at the beginning of the next year. This is just one piece of the puzzle.
The idea I mentioned is the kind of productive thought that generally meets resistance from the entrenched system. This is why people turn to charters or private schools as solutions. The current system is not providing the answers people are looking for and is not open to change.
I'm not afraid to buck the system that is in place and challenge misconceptions. You shouldn't be either. Though we may not all agree on the exact methods, I am constantly encouraged by the other brave souls I meet who are tired of doing the same thing and expecting different results. Those sincerely devoted to improving education don't want to destroy the system. They want to remodel the house, maybe change the layout a little. Ultimately we want to turn this rickety one-room school house into a brilliant cathedral of learning. That might be a little dramatic, but for our kids' sakes, it's time to stop being quiet and start making some noise.
Due to what many are calling a "rosier" economic outlook, Governor Baldacci has released a proposal for a revised budget. Baldacci restored $78.7 million in cuts today. "From the beginning, I have been committed to presenting a fiscally responsible plan to balance the State budget," Governor Baldacci said. "The slight improvement in the economy and the increased assistance from the federal government allow us to address legitimate concerns in human services and education while also making investments in Maine's long-term financial health." Where does the money for the cuts come from? $50.9 million come from a Revenue Forecasting Committee forecast upgrade. Changes in the federal Medicare program make up the other $27.8 million. Two of the departments that faced the largest cuts, Health and Human Services and Education, received the greatest funding increases. DHHS received $37 million, while K-12 $20 million.
Governor Baldacci praised the bipartisan effort in finding budget solutions. Baldacci assured Mainers he would continue to find money saving efficiencies and again vowed not to raise taxes. "Maine families and businesses cannot afford a greater burden," said Baldacci. A plan from Baldacci focusing on job creation will be unveiled next week. "We have an opportunity to put people back to work, to create jobs and grow our economy," Governor Baldacci said. Since government can only create government jobs, it will be interesting to see where this investment plan is targeted and what impact it will have.
Steve Rowe has launched a few targeted grassroots campaigns since he announced his candidacy. Last year, Rowe's campaign sought support from women voters with his "Women Rowe-ing" section and an endorsement from former Senate President Beth Edmonds. Rowe has unveiled the newest arm of his grassroots effort. The new group, "Generation Rowe", will seek to grab the attention of Maine's young voters. With that in mind, it's time to consider how big of an impact will the youth vote have on the upcoming elections?
Generation Rowe will work on campus outreach programs and new media tactics, ie. Facebook and Twitter. "I want our young people to know that Maine isn't just another state in the corner of the map," said Rowe. "It can be at the center of the global economy - if we make the investments so that our kids can grow up healthy, and our young people can pursue their dreams here, instead of by leaving the state."
I was deeply involved with the No on 1 campaign from early-2009 through Election Day. I knocked on hundreds of doors, made thousands of phone calls, and participated in dozens of events. If the election taught me anything, it was that without proper education and cogent refutation of opponents' slanderous claims, lies and misinformation will run rampant and destroy any possibility of advancing equal rights.
As I follow the pursuit of the Maine Human Rights Commission (MHRC) to clarify the Maine Human Rights Act in order to ensure equal rights for all transgender students in Maine's public schools, I can't help but feel that the public, and even some journalists, lack sufficient education on the issue. The staggering total of 594 comments on the Bangor Daily News' February 17 article about transgender rights alone speaks for itself. And, unless we want the outcome of transgender rights to be equivalent to that of same-sex marriage, qualified and extensive education is a vital prerequisite.
Let me preface this, my first contribution to the Augusta Insider, by saying that I honestly believe most folks who are elected to go to Augusta believe that they can work in a bipartisan fashion. I serve on the Utilities and Energy Committee, which last session had the highest percentage of unanimous committee reports. I can count on one hand, the number of bills that we didn't come to a consensus on. And, if my memory serves me correctly, only one of those unresolved issues was a result of partisan disagreements.
So I can say with certainty that most of us up here really want to find a way to come together and help the people of Maine.
However, a debate last week on the House floor devolved into a partisan showdown, and Maine workers nearly paid the price.
DIRIGO BLUE is available as an