Rivals don’t wait for debate Michaud blasts new GOP ads

The fact that there are four face-to-face debates scheduled through next week hasn’t slowed the almost daily exchange of barbs between the 2nd Congressional District rivals, Democrat Mike Michaud and Republican Kevin Raye.

This week, Michaud, the state Senate president pro tempore, railed at a new round of Maine Republican Party ads that show a smirking Michaud alongside claims that he voted to tax Social Security benefits, abolish a state council for the elderly and increase co-payments on prescription drugs for seniors.

Michaud aides painted the GOP ads as desperate attempts to make up ground in the polls, as well as among seniors, most of which have Raye trailing by single digits in what is shaping up to be one of the hardest-fought midterm elections.

“They’re trying to get away from the fact that [Raye] doesn’t have a record,” Michaud press secretary Monica Castellanos said of U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe’s former chief of staff, who has not held elected office. “Kevin’s never voted for anything.”

But seeing the Social Security issue as a liability for Michaud, Raye aides were quick to defend the GOP ads, which they said merely pointed out the Democrat’s 1999 vote to tax the politically sacred Social Security benefits.

“It’s an issue of trust, and Mike Michaud voted to tax seniors, plain and simple,” said Raye campaign manager Kathie Summers, who scoffed at the Michaud campaign’s defense that the tax would have affected only the wealthiest – or the “Bill Gates” – of recipients.

The 1999 legislation would have imposed a levy on annual benefits of more than $25,000. The bill prompted a deluge of angry calls to the governor, who promptly vetoed the tax, which would have affected the top 12 percent of beneficiaries, according to estimates at the time.

The Senate, including Michaud, then voted unanimously to sustain the governor’s veto.

The latest dust-up is par for the course since Labor Day for the candidates, who will next face off at a Maine Public Broadcasting debate Saturday at the University College of Bangor.

On Tuesday, Summers disputed Michaud’s claims that he would be the best defender of Social Security because he himself would rely on the benefit after his retirement from the Great Northern Paper mill.

“Now that’s a distortion,” said Summers, citing what will be Michaud’s substantial pension after 22 years in state government.

Michaud aides jumped at the chance to compare their blue-collar candidate with Raye, whom they often paint as a highly paid “Washington insider” who will vote for Republican leadership itching to privatize Social Security.

Michaud aides also faulted the GOP ad for failing to put into context his 1991 vote to abolish the Maine Committee on Aging.

The committee was one of 30 abolished during a budget crisis in the administration of Gov. John McKernan, Snowe’s Republican husband.

McKernan submitted the budget, which Michaud approved as a member of the Appropriations Committee.

“Frankly, it was a tough decision,” said Castellanos, adding that Michaud opted to cut the council rather than cut direct services to the elderly.

The ad also cited another 1991 vote in which Michaud voted to increase the co-payment for prescription drugs to the elderly from $1 to $3.

“It was preferable to telling seniors they weren’t eligible,” said Castellanos, noting that during Michaud’s tenure, he helped increase annual funding for the prescription drug program from $3 million to $20 million.

Despite the explanations, GOP officials defended the ad.

“It’s a big issue and he knows it’s a big issue,” said Maine GOP communications director Cynthia Bergman. “And he knows he’s vulnerable.”