Cianchette seeks Blaine House; Emery out

AUGUSTA – Is a gubernatorial election rematch in the making?

Democratic Gov. John Baldacci has said he intends to seek voter approval for a second term next year, and now his 2002 Republican opponent, Peter Cianchette, is launching another try.

“I am running for governor because I know that our state is on the wrong track and that we can – and indeed, must – do better,” Cianchette said in a statement.

“We need a leader who will present Maine voters with a vision that will put our state back on the right track. Like most Mainers, I had hoped that John Baldacci would succeed in reducing property taxes, tackling skyrocketing health care costs and lowering Maine’s highest-in-the-nation tax burden,” said Cianchette.

“Unfortunately, that hasn’t happened. In fact, Maine continues to stumble along, enduring crushing job losses, higher taxes, increased costs for health care and a frightening exodus of our young people,” Cianchette said.

The statement from Cianchette, a former state lawmaker from South Portland and Republican National Committeeman, said the Republican hopeful plans a campaign kickoff in the fall, but in the meantime will tour Maine communities.

Baldacci defended his record as governor, saying, “I am focusing on the job at hand.”

Baldacci said he successfully addressed a $1.2 billion budget shortfall after taking office, and in the last three years more than 13,000 new jobs have been added to the Maine economy with the help of his administration’s initiatives such as Pine Tree Zones.

The anticipated entry of Cianchette into the gubernatorial race prompted another Republican, former U.S. Rep. David Emery, to state he will stay on the sidelines.

On June 15, Emery had taken a step toward a possible run for governor by announcing the formation of an exploratory committee for the 2006 Blaine House campaign. Since then, he has been weighing how to finance such a bid.

“My interest was predicated primarily on an open nomination,” Emery said in an interview Thursday. He characterized Cianchette as one who mounted a “credible” campaign four years ago and who retained “financial resources and contacts” to be a strong candidate this time around.

“All things considered, Peter and I agree on most things,” said Emery, who said he planned to be involved in the Republican legislative election effort.

Emery served in the Maine House of Representatives in the early 1970s before winning a seat in the U.S. House, where he served from 1975 to 1982.

He ran for the U.S. Senate in 1982 but was defeated by the incumbent Democrat, George Mitchell. After the election, Emery served in the Reagan administration as deputy director of the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency. In 1990, Emery lost a race for the 1st District congressional seat to Democrat Thomas Andrews.

In March, Nancy Oden of Jonesboro, who worked for independent Ralph Nader’s presidential campaign in Maine last year, filed paperwork with state officials to start the process toward becoming a publicly financed candidate for governor. Oden filed as an unenrolled candidate.

Also having filed for public funding is Stephen Stimpson of Bangor, a Republican, according to the commission.

In Maine’s 2002 general election for governor, Baldacci garnered 238,179 votes for 47.1 percent of the total, besting Cianchette’s 209,496 votes, which was 41.5 percent.

Green Independent candidate Jonathan Carter won 46,903 votes, for 9.3 percent, and independent John Michael received 10,612 votes, or 2.1 percent.