Baldacci to take election-year message on the road

AUGUSTA – Scheduling changes that included a day’s delay in the delivery of his speech itself may have truncated what was originally seen as a turnaround tour touting an improved economy. But Gov. John Baldacci still plans to follow up on his State of the State address by amplifying his basic lunch bucket message around the state.

The Democratic incumbent, who is campaigning for re-election without significant opposition in his own party but who has attracted three potential Republican rivals, had a stop slated Thursday at Idexx in Westbrook for a press conference regarding expansion plans.

He was to travel later to Bath for a couple of events and then back to Portland at Whitney Art Works. On Friday, the governor planned to head to Bangor and Presque Isle for more talks about jobs. Even as he describes economic gains, Baldacci continues to point to what he views as managerial advances.

This week, the administration sought to highlight a report from the National Governors Association and the National Association of State Budget Officers that categorized Maine favorably in terms of budget growth.

“Continuing to consolidate statewide services and cracking down on state spending will assure that Maine is fiscally responsible for years to come,” Baldacci said.

Critics, however, refuse to grant the governor’s claims about either economic improvement or enhanced fiscal management.

“Whatever the private sector achieves or fails to achieve has had very little to do with the Blaine House or state government,” contends Sen. Peter Mills of Cornville, one of the candidates for the Republican gubernatorial nomination. “I think people perceive that state government itself as a business is not in good shape.”

For Baldacci and his Democratic legislative allies, who hold slim-margin control of both the state Senate and House of Representatives, performing productively in what is anticipated to be a short election year session at the State House should help their common cause in this fall’s general election. From a different vantage point as challengers, Republicans also hope to display their strengths while exposing opposition weaknesses between now and the end of April.

Toward those ends, lawmakers from both parties will lay out agendas Thursday.

A Democratic news conference is expected to focus on jobs and affordable health care. Republicans said their presentation would emphasize health insurance, economic development, taxes and spending, and energy policy.