Elections
Olympia’s List makes its first campaign donation — to Maine Sen. Susan Collins
AUGUSTA, Maine — Former U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, announced on Facebook on Friday her political action committee, Olympia’s List, would be donating to the re-election campaign of U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine. In the post Snowe writes the contribution is the Olympia’s List’s first “major gift of the 2014 ...
Obama’s campaign finance reform plans fade
By Juliet Eilperin, The Washington Post on April 29, 2013, at 10:21 p.m.
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama’s once-broad ambitions to clamp down on the influence of special interests have been largely abandoned since his reelection, dismaying longtime allies in the campaign-finance reform movement. The predicament will be on full display Tuesday, when all five members of the Federal Election Commission will be ...
Chellie Pingree won’t run for governor in 2014
AUGUSTA, Maine — U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree, a Democrat who represents Maine’s 1st District, will not run for governor in 2014. Andrew Colvin, Pingree’s deputy communications director, confirmed Friday afternoon that Pingree has decided against a gubernatorial run. “After considering the decision carefully over the last few months, I have ...
Maine high court again hears Nader lawsuit alleging obstruction of ’04 presidential candidacy
PORTLAND, Maine — Ralph Nader and the Maine Democratic Party on Wednesday afternoon took their nearly decade-old fight to the Maine Supreme Judicial Court for a second time. “This case represents the latest front in a retributive war waged by a losing candidate against a rival campaign, eight years after ...
LePage vulnerable in 2014, says top political observer
BDN staff reports on April 08, 2013, at 5:01 p.m.
BANGOR, Maine — Gov. Paul LePage is among the most vulnerable governors who are up for re-election in 2014, according to a well-known New York Times political blog. Thirty-two governors are up for re-election in 2014. Of them, LePage ranks sixth for his net job disapproval rating — the difference ...
POLL QUESTION
Poll: Cutler would lead LePage in 2014 governor’s race — if he ran as a Democrat
AUGUSTA, Maine — If independent Eliot Cutler ran for governor as a Democrat in 2014, he would lead incumbent Republican Gov. Paul LePage by almost eight percentage points, according to a poll released Wednesday. The Pan Atlantic SMS Group survey of 403 Maine residents, conducted by veteran Portland pollster Patrick ...
Baldacci tells Politico that he’s still open to run for governor — if Pingree or Michaud don’t
AUGUSTA, Maine — Former Gov. John Baldacci would rather see one of Maine’s two U.S. representatives, Democrats Chellie Pingree and Mike Michaud, challenge Republican Gov. Paul LePage in 2014. But if they don’t, he probably will, according to a story posted Wednesday by Politico. Late last year, Baldacci’s name surfaced ...
Angus King won seat raising less than $3 million — least in 2012 U.S. Senate race
AUGUSTA, Maine — Angus King raised less than any other candidate who won a U.S. Senate race in 2012. The independent former governor raised less than 30 percent of the average cost of a 2012 Senate race. The 33 senators who won elections in November raised, on average, $10.5 million, ...
Portland activist takes first step toward putting abortion consent measure on ballot
AUGUSTA, Maine — A Portland man who directed a political action committee opposing last year’s successful same-sex marriage ballot measure has filed initial paperwork with the secretary of state’s office that would allow him to start collecting signatures to force a statewide vote on a proposal to require parental consent ...
Bangor Councilor Joe Baldacci expresses interest in Mike Michaud’s congressional seat
BANGOR, Maine — There’s a chance two Baldaccis will make bids for public office in 2014. Joe Baldacci, brother of former Gov. John Baldacci, said Thursday that he is “definitely interested” in replacing 2nd District U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud if he decides to run for governor next year. “I have ...
Sen. Emily Cain ‘more serious than ever’ about bid for Congress if Michaud runs for governor
AUGUSTA, Maine — It’s no secret that Sen. Emily Cain has had her eye on a congressional seat for at least a year, but the Orono Democrat said Tuesday that she is “more serious than ever” about a potential 2014 run for Maine’s 2nd Congressional District in light of U.S. ...
Michaud ‘looking at’ run for governor
WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud, a Democrat who represents Maine’s 2nd District, is “looking at” a 2014 run for governor. Michaud, who has yet to file as a candidate, told Politico on Monday that he hasn’t set a timeline for making the decision about whether to run in a ...
Feds: Maine GOP improperly reported finances
ELLSWORTH, Maine — The Federal Election Commission has determined that the Maine Republican Party misstated its financial activity, improperly disclosed debts and obligations, and failed or improperly disclosed expenditures from 2007 through 2008. The amount of money involved in the party’s insufficient reporting is more than $700,000, according to a ...
Early voting backers seek statewide vote to amend Maine Constitution
AUGUSTA, Maine — It will take a state constitutional amendment to allow Mainers who vote early to place their ballots directly into a ballot box or voting machine rather than placing an absentee ballot into an envelope that’s sealed until Election Day. Advocates for that change gathered Wednesday at the ...
Judge rules Maine Municipal Association allowed to participate in political campaigns
AUGUSTA, Maine — A U.S. District Court judge Thursday ruled in favor of the Maine Municipal Association, saying the lobbying organization that represents Maine’s towns and cities was allowed under the law to take sides and participate in five political campaigns between 2004 and 2009. The ruling by Judge John ...
Lawmakers team up in support of bringing ranked-choice voting to statewide races
YARMOUTH, Maine — Two legislators have joined forces to support a single bill to establish ranked-choice voting in Maine. The election-law bill submitted by Sen. Dick Woodbury, I-Yarmouth, is now co-sponsored by Rep. Janice Cooper, D-Yarmouth, who submitted similar draft legislation at the beginning of the year. Woodbury said the ...
Independent Eliot Cutler forms campaign committee for possible Blaine House bid
AUGUSTA, Maine — Independent Eliot Cutler has taken the first step toward running for governor next year. Cutler on Thursday filed paperwork with the Maine Ethics Commission to form a campaign committee, a move that will allow him to begin raising money for a possible Blaine House bid. Cutler lost ...
Vice President Joe Biden’s ‘U.S. president’ gaffe may be sign of his 2016 ambitions
By Samuel P. Jacobs, Reuters on Jan. 20, 2013, at 5:46 a.m.
WASHINGTON — Was it just another slip of the tongue by Vice President Joe Biden, or a preview of the next presidential campaign in 2016? Hours before he and President Barack Obama were due to be sworn in for their second four-year terms, Biden told supporters at the Iowa State ...
Maine electors cast votes for Obama, Biden
on Dec. 17, 2012, at 5:05 p.m.
AUGUSTA, Maine — The state’s four presidential electors formally cast their ballots to re-elect President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden on Monday, formalizing the Democrats’ victory in last month’s elections. Maine’s slate of presidential electors were Diane Denk of Kennebunk representing 1st Congressional District, Marianna Stevens of Kingfield ...
Maine’s four electors to meet Monday to cast ballots for Obama, Biden
The Associated Press on Dec. 17, 2012, at 6:26 a.m.
AUGUSTA, Maine — Maine’s four Electoral College members will cast their ballots to formalize the November presidential election won by Democratic incumbent Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden. The electors will meet Monday afternoon in the Maine House of Representatives Chamber. Secretary of State Charlie Summers will convene the ...
Items found, authorities pursuing leads in search for Glenburn teen
Hampden firm pokes holes in traditional boat mooring, leaving room for lobsters, crabs and other sea life
LePage hopes to eliminate income tax by end of second term
Woman accused of criminal mischief, disorderly conduct outside Bangor nightclub
Ignore LePage politics, get to root of DHHS funding needs
Basketball season never ends for Worcesters of Washburn, a family of 1,000-point scorers
UMaine narrows candidate list, hopes to name men’s hockey coach next week
Eastport teen notches first ‘Bandolero’ racing victory
Not even chemotherapy could quell Maine woman’s longing to be in the kitchen
Keyboardist Ray Manzarek of The Doors dies at age 74
From a mountaintop…of sorts
Penobscot Theatre Company ends season with whirlwind production of ‘Around the World in 80 Days’
