Steve Woods, one of four independents in the race for Maine’s open U.S. Senate seat, said Saturday he’s dropping out of the race and throwing his support behind independent former Gov. Angus King.
Woods, the Yarmouth Town Council chairman who owns a collective of six businesses in Falmouth, made his announcement during his closing statement at the final debate among the six candidates for Maine’s Senate seat held at Lewiston Middle School.
“I respect each and every one of the candidates here tonight,” said Woods, who was the last to deliver a closing statement at the debate on WGME Channel 13. “In my opinion, only one person standing here is the most prominent and has the highest degree of integrity to represent all Mainers. His name is Angus King.”
Woods was the second candidate to qualify for the ballot in the spring, and he garnered publicity early in the race with an endorsement from mentalist The Amazing Kreskin, his pledge to donate his Senate salary to charity if elected and the use of his company’s mobile health screening vehicle at campaign events.
Early on in the campaign, Woods also promised to drop out of the race and endorse King if he was behind in the polls close to Election Day and it appeared as if he would be a spoiler.
Unlike King, Woods said he would have caucused with Senate Democrats. His name will remain on Tuesday’s ballot.
“owns a collective of six businesses”
What the heck does this mean? Collective, pppffftttt!!!!
The reporter spent a year too long in college.
Why don’t you look further into it before launching your all too typical personal attacks? The 6 businesses ARE a collective known as TideSmart.
So, I think you owe the reporter an apology.
I see. My apologies. The reporter is correct. I have never heard of a businessperson referring to what he built before as a “collective”.
Mr. Woods added to the debate & kept his word with this endorsement of King. Well played.
Hope to see him run again someday!
Well said and agreed to. And considering the mess that Paulie has made in Augusta, and Maine in general, the State election’s in 2014 aren’t the far off. Woods moderate and mature approach toward both business and State government, and it’s responsibilities and limitation’s, is a very welcome change in attitude toward the voter’s and what they need, not what some political whoopie artist promise’s. We have seen enough of that in the last week in the GOP’s Jeep ad in Ohio. Woods is talking reasonable risk in R&D, reform the State tax code (and get rid of some of these current code’s that are both obsolete and job killing), Bond spending where it’s needed and actually has experience in small business’s on a practical level. The only part I missed was his educational plan. But hey, it’s election season. Something’s got to get lost in the media blitz !
Woods was a very impressive candidate who consistently elevated the campaign with a careful, thoughtful maturity.
Is crazy eyes still in the race?
Yes Charlie Summers is surviving on money from Karl Rove.
Ahh good one!
Finally we have a candidate who is willing to put the welfare of the State of Maine before their own ego. If Libby Mitchell had shown the same dedication two years ago….when it was clear there was absolutely no way she would win…we wouldn’t have ended up with the national embarrassment we’re forced to own as our governor. And if Cynthia Dill would do the same thing now….with absolutely no way she can win…..we wouldn’t have to worry for so much as a second that we might end up being represented in Washington by the likes of Mr. Summers.
I agree about Dill. From what I’ve heard through the political grapevine. Many heavyweights of the Democratic Party have asked her to step down.
What did King offer him in exchange for dropping out should be the headline.. Days before the election. LOL!!!
I already voted for him, this sux……………
Don’t worry. You’ll be able to vote for him again.
Good luck Steve, and thank you for your contribution to the political process.
Steve Woods made great sense with much of what he said. But the sad fact is that he, Dodge and Dalton (who represented themselves and knowing they had no chance of winning in the general election) consumed limited oxygen during numerous debates. In so doing they deprived voters of discussion with Summers and Dill (who prevailed after engaging in costly primary campaigns) and King who arrived on the scene with a high likelihood of winning on November 6.
And so it is that King is headed toward Snowe’s seat without there having been a serious examination of the validity of the premise on which he bases his campaign, ie. that he will be a significant force in breaking the Senate’s gridlock. Not only is this premise dubious but there is a conflict between being a factor in breaking the deadlock and serving the interests of Maine’s citizens (which he says he is best qualified to do) since bringing home the bacon would require making deals with the very senators he had gone to Washington to do battle with.
ROMNEY / RYAN 2012 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Pointless endorsement from a no name.
In other news, Downeaster2012 endorses Tim Hortons over Dunkin Donuts. That story is as important and pressing as this one.
Steve Woods for Governor