PORTLAND, Maine — Republican Jon Courtney embraced his underdog status Thursday while launching his campaign for Congress, telling supporters he can relate to the financial struggles of Mainers better than Democratic 1st District incumbent Chellie Pingree.
Courtney’s campaign kickoff tour Thursday featured stops in Sanford, Biddeford, Portland, Wiscasset and Waterville.
During a speech in Portland’s Deering Oaks Park on Thursday morning, the Maine Senate majority leader from Springvale said Pingree’s marriage to Donald Sussman, a billionaire hedge fund manager and Portland Press Herald majority owner, gives her an early advantage. But Courtney said that won’t dissuade him from running an aggressive grass-roots campaign in which he said he plans to visit every community in the congressional district.
“We can’t be discouraged by running against a billionaire,” Courtney said before a small crowd of mostly reporters and campaign supporters. “We can’t be discouraged by running against an unfriendly newspaper owner.”
Sussman, who purchased a majority stake in Press Herald parent company MaineToday Media in a $3.3 million deal announced earlier this year, has repeatedly stated he will play no role in the newspaper’s editorial decisions or stances.
Courtney first faces a Republican primary contest in which Portland mariner Patrick Calder also is running to be the party’s 1st District nominee.
Chris Tyll of North Yarmouth, former Navy SEAL and current owner of the Pat’s Pizza in the Old Port, introduced Courtney in Portland on Thursday. Tyll is a candidate for the District 11 seat in the Maine Senate.
“It takes courage to go against a formidable opponent and the sitting congresswoman is a formidable opponent,” Tyll told the Bangor Daily News Thursday morning. “That perspective of being removed from the ‘ivory tower’ is what Washington needs.”
Courtney blasted President Barack Obama’s health care reform act as driving up federal spending at a time when the deficit has climbed past $15 trillion. He also touted the efforts of Maine Republicans to whittle down government spending and regulations after they took control of the Blaine House and Legislature two years ago.
Courtney continued returning to the theme that he would be the “dark horse” against a wealthy Democrat and that his blue-collar roots make him the candidate most in touch with Mainers’ values.
“I’m running for Congress because I know the challenges of getting by,” he added. “I know the challenges of running a small business, I know the challenges of paying for health care, I know the challenges of filling my gas tank, I know the challenges of keeping my house warm in the winter.”
Pingree’s office declined to respond to Courtney’s comments Thursday.
Jon Courtney, if nominated to run against Chellie Pingree should have no problem with money. All he has to do is sign the Grover Norquist Pledge and he will have plenty of ads running. The Super Pacs will put lots of ads on the air tearing down anything Chellie has done.
I sure hope he tears down everything Pingree has done.
Pride in the history of one’s work prevents worry so Chellie should have nothing to fear, right?
The less Chellie does the better….the woman is a complete sociopath
Oh, go ahead and be discouraged, ya know you don’t care, anyway, yer just in it for the money you can raise
No fear Mr. Courtney, your fellow lawmakers have been working very hard for years to ensure that no one can have an edge when running for office based solely on money. Can we assume that you will be just as diligent in the matter, if elected? lol. Do you plan to grovel to the top 1% openly, or will pride lead you to keep things “under the table”? It is kind of ironic. Your opponent is a member of that very elite club, even if it is by marriage. Even if you did beat her, you would still end up kissing her butt! lol.
Hang tough Jon, don’t let these rich, liberal, elitist intimidate you. Show that you are a good leader and not just throw a lot of big money around like Pingree.
Its tough to run against the 1%, the Democratic 1%.
The arrogant elitist liberal Representative needs to go bye bye.
Is this guy really going to base his entire campaign on whining and crying? Do you have something meaningful to say, or are you looking for a win based on your ability to whine? If that’s all he’s got, he should step aside and let some teenager (or tree stump) run in his place.
That your thought process when anyone “whines” about someone having a lot of money, Bangorian? Not a big fan of the Occupy Movement, then, are you?
Tree stumps indeed.
You mean like the puff pieces that ran when Angus King announced he would run a positive campaign?
Truth of the matter is he should simple stop his campaign and concede to save everyone all the effort and not waste money for a “token” campaign; Chellie will be elected in a landslide, regardless of her financial status, as she truly is moving our society forward and people realize it.
She certainly is!!
I’m especially proud of her bill to eliminate styrofoam containers from the House cafeteria. What a visionary!!!
She’s moving herself and her newfound buddies forward, leaving you and the rest of society in the dust, you just don’t realize it…
Psst Mr. Courtney, i just saw a news piece on you and you were speaking, while reading and staring down into your podium. I am sure you realize that eye contact is extremely important in believability, and that should have been one of the first things you learned in college…If you truly want to be Chellie, i would start there first.
yeah jeff, sounds like that’s about the ONLY thing you took out of college when you got your “degree”
a barking chiuaua could do a better job than Chellie at representing Maine’s people….she’s a trainwreck and completely ineffective
******
“Sussman, who purchased a majority stake in Press Herald parent company MaineToday Media
in a $3.3 million deal announced earlier this year, has repeatedly
stated he will play no role in the newspaper’s editorial decisions or
stances. ”
And I am sure the editors, at the PPH, willl pay no attention to signs their paychecks either.