Nealley move leaves GOP primary unlikely

BANGOR – The race for the 2nd Congressional District seat will be quiet through June, with Bangor City Councilor David Nealley all but removing the possibility of a Republican primary by leaving the party.

But what could be construed as an exit from the race is anything but, with Nealley saying Friday that his departure from the GOP was designed to open the possibility of an independent bid for the seat now held by Democrat Michael Michaud.

“It allows me to keep my hat in the ring,” said Nealley, who in January formed an exploratory committee for a run as a Republican. His potential third-party candidacy, however, didn’t sit well with some Republicans intent on unseating the freshman Michaud.

Nealley said his work as a lobbyist in Augusta made him unable to effectively mount a Republican primary campaign and meet a 5 p.m. deadline today to file the needed paperwork with the state.

Leaving the GOP buys him time, he said, as independents have until June 1 to file their petitions.

While Nealley’s maneuver likely eliminated the need for a costly primary, it could instead set up a three-way race in November among Michaud, Nealley and Republican Brian Hamel, the former head of the Loring Development Authority.

The most successful third-party bid for the seat in recent years came in 1992 when Green Independent Party candidate Jonathan Carter won 9 percent of the vote against Republican Olympia Snowe and Democrat Patrick McGowan.

Snowe won with 49 percent, and Democrats, in turn, blasted Carter for handing the election to the Republican by siphoning votes from McGowan.

Since then, the district has trended Democratic, and it was clear Friday that the GOP didn’t relish the possibility of a third wheel – particularly a former Republican – in what would already be a tough race to unseat the well-funded Democratic incumbent.

“Whenever you throw in an independent into the mix it changes the dynamics,” said Dwayne Bickford, executive director of the Maine Republican Party. “But we’re confident that through education, people concerned about creating jobs will come to Brian Hamel.”

Hamel has been a favorite among the state’s Republican leadership even before he announced his candidacy in January. The announcement even prompted Republican Bob Stone of Lewiston, who announced his own candidacy just days before, to step aside and endorse Hamel.

Hamel, who on Thursday filed his official nomination papers with the state, had no comment on Nealley’s potential independent bid.

Green Party officials have said they don’t intend to field a 2nd District candidate this year.