Maine Dem, GOP leaders trying to make their marks

AUGUSTA – A top aide to former Sen. William Cohen, Bob Tyrer, once likened the primary role of a state political party organization to the dictate of a physician’s Hippocratic Oath: “First, do no harm.”

It may be a good time to test that theory.

The Maine Democratic and Republican parties have new leadership. And both sides already have punched up the volume of their messages.

In this corner for the Democrats: Patrick Colwell, former legislator and speaker of the House who defeated two other candidates to succeed Dorothy Melanson in January.

Colwell said that as chairman he wanted to update Democratic voting lists and harness the energies of volunteers who became active during the last election cycle.

And in this corner for the Republicans: Randy Bumps, a former legislator and aide to U.S. Sen. Susan Collins who was prominent in the Bush-Cheney campaign in Maine. In December, Bumps faced no opposition as the party’s state committee picked a successor to three-term Chairwoman Kathy Watson.

Taking over the GOP job, Bumps vowed to broaden the party’s network of volunteers with an eye toward winning control of the Legislature and electing a Republican governor in 2006.

For political parties, campaigning never stops, but off years with no state elections are still off years. Nonetheless, the new chairmen are trying to make their marks.

Democrats, notably, have been touting an effort to involve local activists with a series of organizational forums around the state. Republicans, meanwhile, have tailored some of their media offerings to match or follow up on developments in the Legislature.

Most recently, a new Democratic initiative garnered mixed reviews.

Some State House Democrats expressed unhappiness over a Web site broadside their party headquarters aimed at Republican Senate Minority Leader Paul Davis. The cartoon lampooned Davis for negativity in the Senate.

Democratic Senate President Beth Edmonds called on Colwell to pull the ad, suggesting it undercut attempts in the Legislature to promote bipartisanship. In that, she was commended by Bumps, who castigated “this brand of attack politics.” Colwell and his crew ultimately complied with Edmonds’ request.

Whatever the merits of the argument – whether the Democratic jibe was fair, wise or funny – the incident served as a reminder that at the parties’ headquarters in Augusta, there are two new sheriffs in town.

Gov. John Baldacci was said to have encouraged Colwell to seek the Democratic Party chairmanship and looks to be seeking a more participatory role in how the party organization functions.

“He’ll be more involved in party affairs because he’s running for re-election,” said roving gubernatorial aide Lee Umphrey. “At the same time, as governor he’s going to continue to do things in a bipartisan way.”

Baldacci, still recuperating from the aftereffects of a Blaine House fall, met with legislative leaders from both major parties at the gubernatorial mansion Thursday.

Bumps & Co. have featured Peter Cianchette as a co-spokesman. Cianchette, who lost to Baldacci two years ago and chaired the Bush campaign in Maine, has said he would consider another gubernatorial bid. He now also serves as a Republican national committeeman.

And Bumps, while saying Edmonds “is right to want to work with her colleagues on a bipartisan basis on the issues currently facing our state,” remains on the offense against Baldacci.

Blasting an administration proposal to use future lottery revenue to help balance a new state budget, Bumps said, “while not politically popular, this governor, who faces re-election, could provide leadership by recommending state government programs to be scaled back or eliminated to save the overall state budget. Baldacci is content to work around the edges, and that’s not leadership nor will it address the fundamental fiscal issues facing Maine.”

A statewide poll released a month ago gave Baldacci a combined 72.5 percent positive rating, with 49 percent listing “somewhat favorable” and 23.5 percent “very favorable.” Negative opinion broke down as 14.5 percent responding “somewhat unfavorable” and 10 percent “very unfavorable.”

There was little change since September in Baldacci’s job performance rating, with 60 percent characterizing it as good. A combined 29 percent chose “not so good” or “poor,” while 7 percent said it was excellent.