Congress hopefuls expected to step up

The turning of the calendar makes it official: It’s an election year.

Along with the breaking of countless New Year’s resolutions, the next few weeks are also expected to bring announcements from one or more candidates seeking to unseat one of Maine’s two Democratic congressmen.

On Tuesday, an Orrs Island man announced the formation of a exploratory committee to challenge U.S. Rep. Tom Allen in the state’s 1st Congressional District, which includes Knox and Lincoln counties as well as most of southern Maine.

Dexter Kamilewicz, a 61-year-old real estate manager and anti-war activist, said in a Tuesday statement that his potential run was spurred by the “inaction and ineffectiveness of the two major political parties,” particularly concerning the war in Iraq.

“Almost three years ago, I became very concerned when Congress avoided open, public discussion about President Bush’s rush to judgment to invade and occupy Iraq,” said Kamilewicz, whose son is serving in Iraq as part of the Vermont National Guard. “Even today, there has been no justification for that decision.”

While the increasingly unpopular war is expected to be a major issue in some congressional races throughout the country, University of Maine political scientist Amy Fried said it would be difficult for an anti-war candidate to challenge either of Maine’s congressmen on the issue.

“Both [Allen and U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud] have been critical of how the war has been conducted,” said Fried, adding that, in general, she saw the two incumbents as “fairly safe” in their seats.

Kamilewicz, who was in Fort Kent Tuesday, said that although Allen opposed the 2002 resolution authorizing the war, he – like many of his Democratic counterparts – erred in his subsequent votes to fund the conflict.

Allen had little to say about Kamilewicz’s potential run, noting that the March 15 deadline for challengers to declare their candidacies was still more than two months away.

“There will be someone,” said Allen, who, now in his fifth term, has proved popular in the southern district, winning re-election four times with at least 60 percent of the vote. “I’ll run on my record.”

On the Republican side, state Rep. Darlene Curley, R-Scarborough, has expressed interest in Allen’s seat. On Tuesday, she said she would make a decision in the next few weeks.

But time is running short for potential challengers, pundits say, noting the need for substantial fundraising – on the order of $1.2 million – to run a credible campaign against an incumbent.

In the 2nd Congressional District, GOP officials have been quiet about who, if anyone, would carry their party’s banner against Michaud, although suggesting an announcement was forthcoming.

One widely rumored Republican candidate, former state Sen. Betty Lou Mitchell of Etna, said Tuesday she would not launch a 2006 challenge against Michaud, who won re-election to his seat in 2004 with 58 percent of the vote.

“As we know, Mike Michaud is going to be tough to beat,” Mitchell said, instead professing a desire to remain active in state issues. “They [the Republicans] have to find someone who the people really trust and believe to beat him.”