Bush ‘butts into’ 1st District race Former president endorses Charlie Summers with strong support

KENNEBUNKPORT – George H.W. Bush doesn’t like to “butt into” Maine politics unless he has good cause.

Bush, the 41st president and father of President George W. Bush, said Tuesday he felt strongly enough about the race for the 1st Congressional District seat to endorse Republican candidate Charlie Summers.

Democrat Tom Allen represents the district, and has since 1996.

In a press conference on the lawn of Bush’s Walker’s Point summer home, the former president stood side-by-side with Summers, a former Maine state senator and longtime aide to Republican U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe.

Though Bush noted that he has not known Summers long, and that the candidate and the current president do not agree on everything, he was unequivocal in his endorsement.

“I am strongly in support of him,” Bush said. “I like what I see. I like his conversation.”

The former president said he wants his son to have support in the House of Representatives. The state’s two senators are Republican, while its two representatives are Democrats.

“He’s a good candidate, he’s a good man,” Bush said of Summers.

“I’m just hoping people will see in Charlie what I see in him,” he said. “I like what he says about defense issues and tax issues.”

Summers said the endorsement would provide the momentum to turn the tide in his battle to beat Allen.

Bush, who joked about serving in the House himself “a thousand years ago,” said the better his son does in the election, the better local Republican candidates will do.

Though he has supported past Republican candidates, Bush said he could not recall ever publicly endorsing another House candidate in the district where his family has summered for about a century.

“These are different times,” he said, explaining the decision to make an endorsement before TV and newspaper reporters.

“We’ve had Republicans in this district,” he said in response to a question about the 1st District tilting Democratic in recent years. James Longley held the seat 1995-1997, and before that, John McKernan represented the district 1983-1987.

Bush also recalled David Emery’s hold on the seat from 1975 to 1983.

The former president suggested that as a part-time resident, he hesitated to become involved in Maine politics.

“This is my 79th year – or part of the year – in Maine,” he said. “This should give me some credentials to butt into a Maine race. I feel strongly about this race.”

Bush also joked about his vice-presidential debate with Geraldine Ferraro, the first woman candidate on a major-party ticket.

“I did that and survived,” he quipped.

After the brief press conference, Bush chatted about baseball and touted his new fishing boat, which, powered by three large outboards, recently hit 70 mph with five people aboard.

A Bush staffer said the family is readying for its return to Houston, Texas.