Major parties enter caucus season

AUGUSTA – With gubernatorial and legislative elections set for this year, Maine’s major political parties are moving into campaign mode as they hold their statewide caucuses.

On Sunday, Democrats plan to hold organizational and delegate selection meetings in more than 380 towns across the state. During the gatherings, party activists will elect local committee leaders and delegates to the state convention, which will be held June 2-3 in Augusta.

U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold of Wisconsin, who has been highly critical of the Bush administration’s secret surveillance program, is scheduled to be keynote speaker at the state convention, Maine Democratic Chairman Pat Colwell said.

Democratic Gov. John Baldacci, who is seeking a second four-year term, is expected to visit a number of municipal caucuses on Sunday, as are Maine’s two Democratic congressmen, Tom Allen and Michael Michaud, said party spokesman Arden Manning.

Details of Baldacci’s schedule were still being worked out, but he planned to visit party gatherings in the Waterville, Bangor and Portland areas, campaign manager Jesse Connolly said.

Republican caucuses are spread out between January and mid-March, and some counties bring all of their town caucuses under one roof. That will be the case Saturday in Augusta, as most of Kennebec County’s municipal caucuses are held in a former middle school in the capital.

The four announced candidates for the party’s gubernatorial nomination – state Sens. Peter Mills of Cornville and Chandler Woodcock of Farmington, former congressman David Emery of St. George, and J. Martin Vachon of Hancock County – are expected to attend, party officials said.

State GOP Executive Director Julie Ann O’Brien said Friday that party activists’ interest in the Blaine House race is so great that this year’s caucuses are expected to outdraw those held in 320 towns two years ago, when there was no gubernatorial election and President Bush was unopposed in the presidential contest.

Republicans also will elect delegates to their convention, slated for May 4-6, also in Augusta. The party has not yet announced its keynote speaker for the convention.

On the Net:

Maine Democratic Party: www.mainedems.org.

Maine Republican Party: www.mainegop.com.