Republican Gubernatorial Candidates: David Emery

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AUGUSTA – Serve in the Maine Legislature, get elected to the U.S. Congress, and then come back and run for governor.

Not a bad strategy for an ambitious politician. Republican hopeful David Emery figures it worked for Democratic Gov. John E. Baldacci, so why not him?

There are at least three significant differences when comparing the career paths of Emery and Baldacci, though. First, Baldacci was starting high school when Emery was elected as a GOP state representative in 1971. Second, while Baldacci immediately ran for governor upon announcing his decision to leave Congress in 2002, Emery waited for 23 years.

Third, and most importantly, Baldacci and the state’s Democratic bosses scared off any potential primary opponents in 2002. In contrast, Emery will be in a three-way primary for the GOP gubernatorial nomination June 13 and is the only privately funded candidate in that intraparty struggle.

Still, none of these things represents any particular obstacle for the 57-year-old Rockland native who has been active in GOP politics behind the scenes since losing a U.S. Senate race to George Mitchell in 1982. In fact, he thinks a primary may be just what he needs to advance his centrist agenda.

“I think a primary in this day and age is unavoidable,” Emery said. “If I were an incumbent officeholder who was in unchallenged authority, then you might expect a nomination without a challenge. But I never thought I wouldn’t have a primary.”

Referring to his primary opponents, he added, “Chandler Woodcock is a little bit further to the right on social issues, and Peter Mills is certainly to the left of me on tax issues and also on social issues, so I’m definitely the guy that’s in the middle.”

Life was different for Republicans back when Emery was in office. His 1972 state legislative session was the last time the GOP would hold the majority in the House. Now he wants to be the second Republican governor to be elected in Maine since Gov. John H. Reed was defeated in 1966. Republican John McKernan served from 1987 to 1995. The decision to step back into the statewide political arena was not reached easily by Emery who weighed whether he was really up for the campaign – a momentary doubt he now dismisses.

“I frankly wondered after I got into it whether I was going to adjust to the pace or whether this was a young guy’s game,” he said. “But the great surprise has been that it’s all come back to me and I’m having a ball. I’ve never had so much fun.”

Sometimes referred to as “that ’70s guy” by supporters of other GOP gubernatorial candidates, Emery has both the advantage and the burden of a political resume that is extensive and dated. During his service as Maine’s 1st District congressman from 1975 to 1983, Emery was named chief deputy Republican whip. Later in 1983, President Ronald Reagan appointed Emery deputy director of the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency. Emery returned to Maine in 1988 to launch Scientific Marketing & Analysis, a consulting firm specializing in public opinion and market research.

The experience he brings to the job is something Emery maintains his opponents can’t match. Since leaving Washington, he has been active in party functions and has advised GOP House and Senate candidates on their campaigns. He says the campaign trail has reminded him of how many issues just don’t change for Mainers.

But at least one thing is different for the veteran campaigner who senses a much higher level of cynicism among the state’s voters than before.

“There used to be an openness and a willingness to listen along with some lighthearted needling that you don’t get now,” he said. “People either tune out entirely or they have very intense positions on abortion and gay rights, the Taxpayer Bill of Rights or tax cuts. There’s more of a tendency these days to have their elected officials think exactly as they do with less wriggle room and less acceptance of different points of view. I don’t think it’s a good thing, but there it is.”

Promising to bring greater accountability to state government through a comprehensive state audit and to control costs with a new numbers-crunching agency headed by an inspector general, Emery may lose some Republicans who are searching for more red meat in their candidate. Even Emery has to admit that it’s not easy to ignite a crowd with passionate accounting practices like zero-based budgeting, which he claims will reduce state spending.

He scores higher when he talks about team-building which he knows will be critical to his administration’s success if he is elected governor. Emery claims Baldacci’s desire to “surround himself with cronies” and only listen “to the people who agree with him” are critical errors that will ultimately lead to the Democrat’s defeat.

“I think that’s the worst mistake this governor could have made,” Emery said. “I always told my staff to tell me everything and not wait until a decision is made and it’s too late. I will always want the option to think about all sides of an issue first.”

More information about Emery is available on the Internet at www.emeryforgovernor.com.

David Emery

Age: 57

Address: PO Box 825, Camden, ME 04843-0825

E-mail: dave@emeryforgovernor.com

Web site: www.emeryforgovernor.com

Family: Wife, Carol; son, Albert

Education: Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 1970

Occupation: Business owner

Experience: Maine House of Representatives, 1971-1975; U.S. House of Representatives, 1975-1983; chief deputy Republican whip, 1982-1983; deputy director of U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, 1983-1988; Interim president, Thomas College, 1989; owner and president Scientific Marketing and Analysis, 1989-present

Top three priorities if elected:

. Put Maine’s fiscal house in order and pay down long-term debt

. Develop comprehensive state energy policy including renewable and alternative energy sources

. Improve access to health care and health insurance by instituting market reforms