Dems open campaign center Bangor office fills with supporters

BANGOR – The Maine Democratic Party officially opened its coordinated campaign office in Bangor on Sunday to a crowd of local supporters that basically filled the new space.

“This is amazing for a Sunday,” Peter Chandler, campaign director for the Democratic coordinated campaign, said before the speeches began. “What’s really exciting is that this is one of the earliest we’ve opened an office in Bangor.”

A red, white and blue donkey was painted on one of the many windows at 73 Central St., and campaign signs for U.S. Reps. Michael Michaud, who is running for re-election, and Tom Allen, who is running against U.S. Sen. Susan Collins for her seat, were all over the windows and walls of the downtown office.

Democratic volunteers and staffers have spent a week cleaning up the location, and on Friday held their first phone bank at the site.

“Contacting voters really makes a difference,” staffer Phil Bailey said. Bangor is “first [in the country] to have a phone bank up and running” for the November election.

Portland’s coordinated campaign office already is open, and others in Ellsworth, York, Biddeford, Rumford and Rockland are planned. And “that’s just in the next month,” Chandler said.

The Democrats are planning to take the state by storm, he said.

Michaud said opening the coordinated campaign office is very important this year because “81 percent of the American people feel this country is heading in the wrong direction.” The only way to change things in Washington, D.C., is through local elections, he said.

“This election cycle is very, very important,” Allen said, adding that he has an uphill battle running against Collins.

“The bottom line is that I’m not as well recognized in the 2nd District as Susan Collins,” he said. “I like Susan Collins, but anyone who is voting with George Bush 81 percent of the time is not serving the 2nd [Congressional] District.”

The location of the campaign office most recently was home to Ofelia’s Arte Fino Gallery, a thrift shop and community center, which left the site in November after the building was closed by the city due to safety issues associated with the large crowds.

Chandler said he was aware of the prior problems, and said the campaign office will only be using the first floor, which is “up to code.”

In the crowd of people gathered at the grand opening were nearly a dozen local Democratic candidates who are running for state House of Representative and Senate offices.

The local candidates included, among others, Ruth-Marie Spellman of Brewer, who is running to replace state Rep. Charles “Dusty” Fisher, who has decided not to run; Bangor residents Gerry Palmer and Adam Goode, who are both running to represent House District 15; and state Sen. Joe Perry of Bangor, who is running for re-election.

All of the local candidates, including ones from Newburgh, Levant, Calais and other towns, were brought to the front of the crowd to be introduced and received their rounds of applause.

nricker@bangordailynews.net

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