Newly elected Maine Democratic Party Chairman Ben Dudley said Monday he thought the party’s role in a recent fundraising controversy would have little effect on its efforts to retain control of the governor’s mansion and both legislative houses.

“I think it’s minimal,” Dudley, of Portland, said of the potential fallout in 2006 from the party’s questionable donations to a Rhode Island Senate candidate. The donations, totaling $10,000, helped spark a Federal Election Commission investigation and prompted the resignation of the Maine party’s previous chairman, Pat Colwell of Gardiner.

“Our former chair … recognized he made a mistake and that people wanted to have real conversations about the issues,” said Dudley, maintaining the party’s position that the donations were legal. “He exited extremely gracefully.”

Dudley, 36, has served four terms in the House representing a part of Portland. He was elected to the chairman’s position in near-unanimous fashion at a Sunday meeting of the party’s state committee.

In his opening remarks to the committee, Dudley said he would “ensure the integrity of all Democratic Party operations and will bring my deep sense of responsibility, fairness and accountability.”

The Maine party – as well as those in Massachusetts and Hawaii – became the subject of media reports questioning the legality of donations totaling $25,000 to the U.S. Senate candidacy of Matt Brown, a Rhode Island Democrat.

At issue is whether the donations were part of an arrangement for Brown donors who already had contributed the maximum allowed by law to divert more money to his campaign.

After giving $10,000 to Brown’s campaign at the end of last year, the Maine party received a total of $12,000 in donations from two Brown supporters – both of whom already had donated the maximum to Brown’s campaign.

All the donations were returned, after questions surfaced about their propriety.

After the Democratic fundraising story hit, it was revealed this month that the Maine Republican Party – along with its counterpart in Arizona – might have engaged in similar tactics in 2002.

Like the Democrats, Republican officials denied any wrongdoing.

Like Dudley, Julie O’Brien, the executive director of the Maine GOP said she believed the 2006 campaign would focus on issues, not fundraising tactics.

“It’s going to be health care, business and, of course, taxes,” said O’Brien, a former lawmaker who served with Dudley in the House. “And there will be very clear distinctions where the parties are coming from.”

Dudley’s Sunday selection comes as Gov. John Baldacci gears up for his re-election campaign and as the Democrats try to hold on to their slim majorities in the state House and Senate.

The Democrats hold a 19-16 advantage in the Senate. The House is composed of 74 Democrats, 73 Republicans, one Green and three independents.