A promising start

Congratulations to Republican Jim Longley and to Democrat Tom Connolly for well-deserved victories in Tuesday’s primary. Each campaigned with energy and civility. Each discussed important issues and took definite positions. Each overcame significant hurdles to capture his party’s nomination for governor.

Longley beat two worthy, accomplished opponents in former Education Commissioner Leo Martin and state Rep. Henry Joy for his landslide 65 percent victory. He erased doubts that his political career ended when he lost re-election to Congress two years ago. He proved himself to be resilient, feisty and not really all that dour.

Connolly climbed an even higher mountain for his smashing 80 percent win over businessman Joe Ricci and write-in state Rep. Bill Lemke, starting with zero name recognition and a party leadership that wrote this election off. Connolly earned his nomination with the quantity and quality of the ideas that poured from underneath his trademark swordbill cap. Now, those who purport to lead the Democratic Party must prove they deserve both such a candidate and the loyalty of the voters they theoretically represent.

So now the field of five is set: Gov. Angus King, Republican Longley, Democrat Connolly, independent/Green Pat LaMarche and independent/Taxpayer Bill Greene. It’s an intriguing lineup that pretty much covers the political spectrum. Here’s hoping it’s intriguing enough to snap Maine voters out of their three-election losing streak of dreadful turnouts.

Here’s hoping, too, that the general election continues the direction set in the primary. If so, this will be known as the Other Maine campaign.

Gov. King made economic disparity the cornerstone of this year’s State of the State address, using the occasion to announce his OneMaine initiative. Republican and Democratic contenders all claimed the issue as their own and all labeled OneMaine a slogan without substance. Longley made especially important points about transportation in rural Maine and in calling for an east-west highway that is approached with practicality in mind and actually built, not allowed to become yet another multi-billion-dollar subject for endless studies. Connolly’s Marshall Plan for Maine is chock-full of economic and education proposals that warrant the exposure the coming campaign will bring. With Connolly hammering on the rejected minimum-wage hike and Longley pounding away at Maine’s onerous taxes, the plight of the working class will be a familiar theme between now and November. And anyone who thought the Bath Iron Works tax break was a done deal, a footnote to recent history, wasn’t paying attention during the primary campaigns.

The five-month march to the governorship now begins. Whether it distinguishes itself as a campaign of issues and clear positions or devolves into posturing and vagueness remains to be seen, but the conduct so far of candidates Longley and Connolly gives reason for optimism.