AUGUSTA – Two candidates for the House of Representatives have withdrawn their ballot recount requests, according to Maine election officials. Democratic challenger Ruth-Marie Spellman of Brewer pulled her request for a recount in her race against Republican Michael Celli of Brewer. Preliminary results showed Celli… Read More
    Last November, Washington County residents were stinging over voters’ rejection of a Passamaquoddy petition to bring gambling – and therefore jobs and tourists – to their economically depressed corner of Maine. On Tuesday, Washington County fired back. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes… Read More
    U.S. Sen. Susan Collins scored an easy victory Tuesday night in her bid for a third consecutive term in the U.S. Senate. Shortly after 2 a.m. Collins, a Caribou native and Bangor resident, was ahead of her challenger, U.S. Rep. Tom Allen of Portland, 60… Read More
    Some collapsed into prolonged hugs of half-exhaustion and half-elation. Some smiled quietly to themselves. Some wept openly. For the many Barack Obama supporters who gathered Tuesday night at the Spectacular Event Center in Bangor, news of the Democrat’s decisive win was a thrilling validation. googletag.cmd.push(function… Read More
    Incumbent Michael Michaud won his fourth straight term as Maine’s 2nd Congressional District representative on Tuesday, defeating Republican challenger John Frary by a wide margin. The 53-year-old East Millinocket Democrat was ahead 160,128 to 77,568 votes – or 67.4 percent to 32.6 percent – as… Read More
    North Haven Democrat Chellie Pingree swept to a commanding victory over her Republican opponent, Charles Summers of Scarborough, in the race to represent Maine’s 1st District in Congress. At 2:40 a.m. Wednesday, Pingree was polling 154,558 votes to Summers’ 122,180 votes. The results gave Pingree… Read More
    A $184 million casino and resort proposed for western Maine was defeated Tuesday despite a high-profile push by backers in recent weeks. With 79 percent of precincts reporting, opposition to the controversial Oxford casino was holding steady at roughly 54 percent. googletag.cmd.push(function () { //… Read More
    Shortly after midnight, No on One proponents in Portland celebrated their victory in getting Maine’s new tax on beverages repealed. “When we started this effort seven months ago, we were confident that if Maine people had a voice on these new taxes they would reject… Read More
    BANGOR – A new poll indicates that Democratic Sen. Barack Obama and Republican Sen. Susan Collins continue to widen already sizable leads in their respective races, potentially setting the stage for a split ticket in Maine. Members of Maine’s two major parties, meanwhile, were busy… Read More
    AUGUSTA – Gov. John Baldacci is urging Mainers to vote against repealing the new taxes on beer, wine and soda, saying the revenues are needed if Maine is to ever provide universal health coverage. Those new taxes, as well as taxes on paid insurance claims,… Read More
    “There’s been way too much negative advertising from outside groups.” Bethany Reynolds, Ellsworth googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false; for (var i = 0; i < slot_sizes.length; i++) { if (isMobileDevice()) { if… Read More
    Barack Obama for president The popularity of Barack Obama’s hope-themed campaign shows that the country is eager for positive leadership, not a continuation of the divisiveness fostered by the Bush administration. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var… Read More
    Fed Up With Taxes, the political action committee that’s fighting Maine’s new tax on beer, wine, and soda, is facing potential sanctions for missing deadlines to report significant campaign expenditures. According to Jonathan Wayne, executive director of the Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices,… Read More
    AUGUSTA – Republican presidential candidate John McCain’s schedule will not allow another swing into Maine before Election Day, his campaign said after earlier reports that the GOP presidential nominee would visit. Maine GOP Chairman Mark Ellis had announced the visit earlier Thursday, but a statement… Read More
    Maine is not exactly flush with millionaires. On a per capita basis we must rank pretty low among the states. Which means that most of us are middle class, or even further down the income scale (think Washington County). With the present economic turmoil likely to last for… Read More
    The state of Maine has tremendous problems in the way it is being managed. I am running for the Legislature because I believe my years of experience and service will help make a difference in solving the problems we face. I have walked the streets… Read More
    ORONO – Speaking to a crowd of mostly college students on Wednesday, Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean called Barack Obama a “new generation” candidate not unlike John F. Kennedy. “This election is the most like 1960 when Kennedy ran against [Richard] Nixon,” Dean, the… Read More
    PORTLAND – A new poll suggests a 19-point lead for Barack Obama over John McCain in the presidential race in Maine, while Republican Sen. Susan Collins maintains a 17-point lead over her Democratic challenger, Rep. Tom Allen. The poll released Tuesday by Market Decisions also… Read More
    PORTLAND – Democrat Tom Allen lashed out Tuesday against Republican Susan Collins over campaign ads pointing out that he missed 157 votes in the House, calling them “petty, ugly and personal attacks.” Collins said she stood by the ads. Allen called a news conference to… Read More
    BANGOR – Supporters of the state’s DirigoChoice health insurance program have raised the alarm over a lawsuit filed last week that challenges the savings offset payment, the program’s primary but unpopular current source of funding. An alternate funding formula that includes an embattled beverage tax is the subject… Read More
    NEWPORT – Ten candidates for the state Legislature were in the hot seat Monday as Nokomis Regional High School students quizzed them on issues of concern. Anyone who might have thought the students’ questions would be immature or frivolous were very, very wrong. googletag.cmd.push(function ()… Read More
    DEXTER – Four residents are vying for three three-year seats on the SAD 46 board in the Nov. 4 municipal elections. Incumbent Steven Foster, a Maine Maritime Academy graduate who furthered his studies at Kennebec Valley Community College, has served on the SAD 46 board… Read More
    PORTLAND – Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean will make three stops in Maine this week, including one in Orono, as he campaigns for Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama. Dean will hold a Vote for Change rally at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 29, at… Read More
    AUGUSTA – Maine’s campaign watchdog agency on Monday fined the state Democratic Party $5,000 for filing an expenditure report 20 days late with the state. The Commission of Governmental Ethics and Election Practices voted to issue the fine, which stems from an independent issue flier… Read More
    My father used to say, “If it isn’t right, then there’s something wrong with it!” That’s what I think about the way government is currently working. Voters in Bradley, North Brewer, Clifton, Dedham, Eddington, and Holden (House District 20) must have the best available person… Read More
    Since neither my opponent nor I have held elective office, voters must decide this election based on our life’s experiences and political philosophy. My political philosophy is simple. Smaller and locally controlled government is better. Government must be fiscally responsible and live within its budget. Read More
    The next administration faces the large task of rebuilding the U.S. economy, developing a comprehensive energy policy and reining in health care costs. This work depends on lawmakers with differing views and philosophies coming together. Sen. Susan Collins will be instrumental in bridging partisan divides and moving needed… Read More
    CALAIS – A Las Vegas developer’s desire to build a casino in Oxford County has some people here betting it will pass while others are hoping the gambling company from “away” will roll snake eyes. Some of the hard feelings here are due to the… Read More
    Though both Democrat Chellie Pingree and Republican Charlie Summers are strong, knowledgeable candidates with well-thought-out positions on the issues, it is Ms. Pingree who should succeed six-term Democrat Tom Allen in representing Maine’s 1st Congressional District. Ms. Pingree’s commitment to health care reform, an energy… Read More
    Without much fanfare, Mike Michaud has helped veterans get health care services closer to home, secured funding for needed road projects and created a commission to advance economic development for Maine and other Northeastern states. This ability to roll up his sleeves, work with his colleagues regardless of… Read More
    With the economy heading into recession, it’s more important than ever workers achieve job security and receive the compensation they’re entitled. A proposed federal law would help them do just that by making the process of organizing a union fairer. Maine Sen. Susan Collins filibustered this law last… Read More
    For the last six years, one-party government control has done a disservice to Maine. Partisanship has stifled progress. This year, we have an opportunity to change course and vote to improve government and improve the lives of all Mainers. Regardless of your political views, Republican… Read More
    WASHINGTON – Democrat Chellie Pingree raised $141,966 more than Republican Charlie Summers in Maine’s 1st Congressional District race in the quarter ending Sept. 30. That brought her fundraising total for the campaign to $1,977,732, according to filings with the Federal Election Commission. googletag.cmd.push(function () {… Read More
    PORTLAND – Republican Sen. Susan Collins has a 12-point lead over Democrat Tom Allen in her re-election bid, while Democrat Chellie Pingree has a 21-point lead over Republican Charlie Summers in the race for Allen’s seat in the 1st Congressional District, according to a poll released Thursday. Read More
    BREWER – Fresh off his debate Monday night with Susan Collins in Presque Isle, Tom Allen met with a key part of his targeted constituency Tuesday when he made a stop to talk to laid-off union workers. Allen, the Democratic 1st District congressman who hopes… Read More
    AUGUSTA – Both contestants in Maine’s 1st District congressional race have won new endorsements. The Blethen Maine Newspapers in central Maine – Augusta’s Kennebec Journal and the Morning Sentinel in Waterville – endorsed Democrat Chellie Pingree on Tuesday. The newspapers said she’s “personable, a good… Read More
    PRESQUE ISLE – U.S. Rep. Tom Allen and Sen. Susan Collins stuck to familiar themes when they met Monday night to debate for the eighth time, at Presque Isle Middle School. Allen, the Democratic challenger, said Collins has supported the policies of President Bush too… Read More
    Republican incumbent U.S. Sen. Susan Collins and her Democratic challenger, 1st District Rep. Tom Allen, prepared in different ways over the weekend for their debate tonight in Presque Isle. The debate is slated for 7 p.m. at Presque Isle Middle School on Skyway Street. googletag.cmd.push(function… Read More
    BANGOR – Two Maine newspapers, the Bangor Daily News and The Times Record of Brunswick, have given their editorial endorsements to Barack Obama. The Bangor Daily News said Saturday that John McCain has a long record of distinguished service but has compromised his principles to… Read More
    BANGOR – Maine Democrats and even Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins on Friday blasted a recent round of GOP-sponsored automated calls denouncing Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama. Some area residents came home Thursday afternoon and evening to the “robocalls” on their answering machines. In the… Read More
    A Maine Public Broadcasting Network official apologized Friday for the poor broadcast quality of Thursday’s live debate between U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud, D-Maine, and Republican challenger John Frary of Farmington. Televised on all MBPN stations at 8 p.m. Thursday, the program’s satellite link was badly… Read More
    BANGOR – Kathleen Brown might have been the bravest person at the Sarah Palin rally on Thursday. Standing all by herself, the Orono woman held up her anti-McCain and Palin sign as close to the BIA hangar as she could get. Passers-by heading to the… Read More
    BANGOR – On the eve of Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin’s scheduled visit to Bangor, the Republican National Committee announced it was pulling presidential ads from both Wisconsin and Maine. While the move appears contrary to the Sen. John McCain campaign’s insistence that the… Read More
    The Bangor Daily News will stop accepting election-related letters and commentary on Monday, Oct. 27. The newspaper will continue to publish such letters and commentary through the week of Oct. 27-31, ending with the Saturday-Sunday, Nov. 1-2 issue. Not all submissions can be published. Read More
    We live in a country today that is all about image. This quest of the “perfect” eye appeal has given rise to a variety of maladies that plague our society. We are so busy that we neglect our young and especially our old. The elderly… Read More
    With Election Day less than three weeks away, the two major party candidates in Maine’s U.S. Senate race have been competing for specific endorsements as they try to win the support of voters. Over the past several days, the campaigns of Sen. Susan Collins and… Read More
    BANGOR – Her visit to Bangor had been announced for about 24 hours, and already, Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin needed a bigger venue. Responding to a huge demand for tickets, the Maine Republican Party announced Tuesday that it was moving Palin’s rally from… Read More
    PORTLAND – Sen. Susan Collins and Rep. Tom Allen stuck to familiar campaign themes Tuesday during the fifth of their 10 Senate debates, but shared one complaint in common: third-party TV ads that portrayed them as villains. Collins, a Republican, pointed to an ad by… Read More
    As John McCain and Barack Obama meet in their third and final presidential debate at Hofstra University tonight, Melissa MacAllister of Dover-Foxcroft will be a go-to gal for the print media covering the showdown. “It’ll be my job to help them with anything they need,”… Read More
    BANGOR – It seems her husband was simply the warm-up act. Five days after Todd Palin spent the weekend campaigning in Maine, Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin will hold a rally Thursday at Bangor International Airport. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes… Read More
    AUGUSTA – In the second-whitest state in the nation, race will play a role in how Mainers vote in the presidential race, but political observers do not believe it will be a big role. “There are pockets of racism, for sure,” said University of Southern… Read More
    It has been my privilege to serve the communities of Eddington, Bradley, Clifton, Dedham, Holden and North Brewer as a representative in Augusta. Serving this community as a legislator, EMT-firefighter, registered Maine Guide, high school coach and substitute teacher has put me in touch with many residents. You… Read More
    Incumbency is a powerful advantage and nowhere more so than in Maine. In 2002, 1st District voters gave Democrat Tom Allen a large majority even as they re-elected Republican Susan Collins with a huge plurality over her accomplished Democratic opponent, Chellie Pingree. Incumbency, perhaps the sense that the… Read More
    AUGUSTA – Maine’s 1st Congressional District candidates differ on whether they could support a single-payer health care system and on the merits of the North American Free Trade Agreement. Democrat Chellie Pingree and Republican Charlie Summers discussed those issues and others, including earmarks and the… Read More
    As a member of the executive board for the local union at the Domtar mill in Baileyville, I was involved with the negotiations for the severance package of the dislocated workers. As we began our negotiations, the company made it clear that it was going to base the… Read More
    I decided to run to be the state representative for House District 16 in Bangor because I want somebody in Augusta who spends each and every day fighting for people like my Grandpa Powell. An Army medic in the 1950s, he worked in factories and hotels his whole… Read More
    AUGUSTA – With Wall Street’s meltdown threatening the national economy, Republican Susan Collins and Democrat Tom Allen both want more oversight and regulation of the financial markets. Allen blames the Bush administration for setting the stage for disaster by failing to effectively regulate Wall Street. Read More
    Todd Palin, husband of Republican vice presidential candidate and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, will hold two public events in Maine this weekend to campaign for his wife’s running mate, Sen. John McCain. Palin will meet and greet supporters at a barbecue at 2 p.m. today… Read More
    AUGUSTA – The state Commission on Ethics and Elections Practices voted unanimously Friday to fine a state Senate candidate from Old Town for using Maine Clean Elections Act money to influence a contest other than her own. “It’s not something that I personally like, this… Read More
    BANGOR – Todd Palin, husband of Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin, will spend the weekend in Maine’s 2nd Congressional District. Palin is the first marquee-name surrogate from either party to campaign here during the general election. He will host a barbecue with supporters at… Read More
    PORTLAND – Republican Susan Collins and Democrat Tom Allen agree that the $700 billion economic rescue package passed by Congress last week was necessary, but they disagreed Thursday on the primary causes for the meltdown on Wall Street. Collins, who’s seeking a third term in… Read More
    BANGOR – The Republican National Committee was host to a three-stop “Not Ready to Lead” tour through Maine on Thursday, attempting to shift the conversation in the presidential race from the economy to a portrayal of Sen. Barack Obama as inexperienced on national security. “You… Read More
    In the spring of 2001, my son was recruited by a Wall Street investment firm. I naturally think my son is brilliant, but I remember being puzzled at the time. He had never taken an economics course and had never showed any interest in business. He was a… Read More
    OXFORD – Supporters of a proposal to bring a casino to western Maine say the casino and resort would be located in Oxford if voters allow it to move forward on Election Day. Olympia Gaming of Las Vegas said Thursday it is looking at several… Read More
    BREWER – The sharpest exchange in Tuesday’s hour-long debate between Susan Collins and Tom Allen occurred while the Senate candidates discussed the credit crisis that has resulted in a $700 billion federal economic package aimed at stabilizing world financial markets. Collins, the Republican incumbent, laid… Read More
    PORTLAND – Ralph Nader received an enthusiastic reception when he spoke to about 250 people at a Portland church. The independent presidential candidate said the United States is drowning in debt while corporations are running the country. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes… Read More
    BREWER – Calling her re-election “critical to the smal- business owners” in Maine, the National Federation of Independent Business on Monday endorsed Susan Collins over her challenger, Tom Allen, in Maine’s U.S. Senate race. In a brief event held at the offices of Trans-Tech Industries… Read More