ME: Independents Gaining Traction

[Horsemask]

I fear Mills will be Libby Mitchell/Mike Michaud 2.0. Troy Jackson would be better.

I'd argue that Mills is a better and more well known candidate than Mitchell ever was.

[MAINEiac4434]

Eves vs. Mills right now. I'm more inclined to support Eves than Mills if I wasn't already on #TheSweetTeam.

I fear Mills will be Libby Mitchell/Mike Michaud 2.0. Troy Jackson would be better.

I'd argue that Mills is a better and more well known candidate than Mitchell ever was.

This. Libby was a nobody.

[GoldenMainer]

Mitchell was hardly a nobody. She's the only woman in U.S. history to be the speaker of a state's House and the president of a state's Senate (and she had been in state government for over 30 years when she ran for governor).  Yes she was bland, uninspiring, and ran a godawful campaign but she was known and had the credentials.

I could easily see Mills being the "favorite" of the Maine Democratic party, the person they think is the best fit and best positioned to win in the general... only for voters not to warm up to her and look elsewhere (especially if she relies too heavily on her name instead of running an aggressive and bold campaign). Perhaps I'm skeptical since I've seen Dems go down this safe, establishment candidate route lately only to fail. We shall see what her campaign focuses on though.

[MAINEiac4434]

Eves vs. Mills right now. I'm more inclined to support Eves than Mills if I wasn't already on #TheSweetTeam.

I fear Mills will be Libby Mitchell/Mike Michaud 2.0. Troy Jackson would be better.

I'd argue that Mills is a better and more well known candidate than Mitchell ever was.

This. Libby was a nobody.

Yeah, but what exactly is the upside for Democrats in nominating her over someone younger? She'll be 71 in 2018. If they were smart and looking ahead, they'd find someone young enough to serve two terms and then try for the Collins Senate seat in 2026 if she doesn't retire before then

EVES.

[Horsemask]

Democrats have another entrant: Jim Boyle, businessman and former State Senator from Gorham.

http://www.wcsh6.com/news/local/former-state-senator-jim-boyle-enters-race-for-maine-governor/457563191

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Surprised by the amount of people on the Dem side, quite honestly. I'm hoping Collins will make up her mind soon so that either she's in for the GOP or if she's not, then we should get a handful of others to declare.

[MAINEiac4434]

Damn near clowncar level. And while he has an ex-Baldacci and Michaud staffer already lined up with him, I don't see him making headway against Eves and Mills.

[Horsemask]

Damn near clowncar level. And while he has an ex-Baldacci and Michaud staffer already lined up with him, I don't see him making headway against Eves and Mills.

Yeah all we need is for Michaud, Pingree, and Jackson to all run and then it'll be chaos

[MAINEiac4434]

Damn near clowncar level. And while he has an ex-Baldacci and Michaud staffer already lined up with him, I don't see him making headway against Eves and Mills.

Yeah all we need is for Michaud, Pingree, and Jackson to all run and then it'll be chaos

The winner would have like 17.9% of the vote.

Jackson has already said he'd sit this one out, though.

[Horsemask]

Yet another entrant for the Democrats. It's just former State Rep. Diane Russell (D-Portland) but this is clearly becoming clown car status at this point, especially if Dunlap or Michaud enter.

http://www.pressherald.com/2017/08/10/former-portland-rep-diane-russell-joins-governors-race/

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[_]

Well, this is going to be an interesting primary on the Democratic side. Mayhew is the only Republican so far who has declared that she's running, right? Hopefully other Republicans enter soon.

Once Collins announces she won't run (she's probably seeing she'll lose the primary) others will jump in.

[Horsemask]

Well, this is going to be an interesting primary on the Democratic side. Mayhew is the only Republican so far who has declared that she's running, right? Hopefully other Republicans enter soon.

Once Collins announces she won't run (she's probably seeing she'll lose the primary) others will jump in.

Yes, she is -- there had been a long-shot little known candidate, but he withdrew a few weeks ago.

As said above, everyone is waiting on Collins.

[MAINEiac4434]

Diane Russell is awful.

[TheSaint250]

How much of a chance does Terry Hayes have to win?

[MAINEiac4434]

How much of a chance does Terry Hayes have to win?

Too soon to tell. No one's heard of her, and I doubt centrist-leaning Democrats (of which she was one before she took the position of Treasurer) are willing to allow LePage Jr. (Mayhew) to win like they did in 2010 and 2014. But if she has a decent campaign, and the Dem candidate is crap (I'm looking at Diane Russell here), anything can happen.

No one knows her name now, but no one knew Cutler's in August 2009.

[mds32]

Progressives seem to be backing Betsy Marsano (G) in the ME-Governor race.

Link>>> https://www.reddit.com/r/WayOfTheBern/comments/7b02x3/calling_all_progressives_we_can_help_progressive/

[Kamala]

Wrong Betsy, guys...

[MAINEiac4434]

Wrong Betsy, guys...

[MAINEiac4434]

Businessman Alan Caron is running as an independent: http://www.pressherald.com/2017/11/06/alan-caron-joins-governors-race-as-an-independent/

Swells the total number of candidates across all parties to 18. When Moody declares later this month it'll be 19.

[MAINEiac4434]

Another Independent declared a few days ago: John Jenkins, former Mayor of Lewiston and Auburn and first black person elected to the State Senate: http://www.pressherald.com/2017/11/16/former-mayor-of-both-lewiston-and-auburn-files-for-2018-governors-race/

He's been out of politics for awhile though...

[Horsemask]

Shawn Moody is running as a Republican, as expected.

http://www.wcsh6.com/news/local/moody-expected-to-join-race-for-governor/493622406

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Found those last two paragraphs fascinating. Would be a HUGE blow to Mayhew and Fredette if LePage endorses him.

[MAINEiac4434]

Shawn Moody is running as a Republican, as expected.

http://www.wcsh6.com/news/local/moody-expected-to-join-race-for-governor/493622406

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Found those last two paragraphs fascinating. Would be a HUGE blow to Mayhew and Fredette if LePage endorses him.

And here I was, thinking he'd be running as the moderate, not a LePage-ite.

[Maxwell]

No Republican is ever going to run as a moderate again thanks to the Tea Party/TRUMP.

[TheSaint250]

No Republican is ever going to run as a moderate again thanks to the Tea Party/TRUMP.

There's Charlie Baker. And Larry Hogan. And Phil Scott.

There are still quite a few.

[TheSaint250]

No Republican is ever going to run as a moderate again thanks to the Tea Party/TRUMP.

There's Charlie Baker. And Larry Hogan. And Phil Scott.

There are still quite a few.

Those people are persona non grata in the national Republican Party and represent blue states. Don't be intellectually dishonest.

Whatever you say.

If they're unwelcome, then I assume they will all be primaried next year?

The Republican Party will become more of a big tent once again. It will happen. They are starts in that direction.

[TheSaint250]

No Republican is ever going to run as a moderate again thanks to the Tea Party/TRUMP.

There's Charlie Baker. And Larry Hogan. And Phil Scott.

There are still quite a few.

Those people are persona non grata in the national Republican Party and represent blue states. Don't be intellectually dishonest.

Whatever you say.

If they're unwelcome, then I assume they will all be primaried next year?

The Republican Party will become more of a big tent once again. It will happen. They are starts in that direction.

Are you seriously suggesting that any of those people would have a shot at breaking even 1% in a national primary?

And no, the GOP isn't going to become a FISCULLY CONSURVATIVE SOSHULLY LIBRUHL party anytime soon - why would they? Cultural warfare is all they have; who would vote for a culturally libertine (not the right word but I'm going to use it anyway) party that advocates for things like Trumpcare and the tax bill?

Of course they couldn't. Not now. But once this "culture war" stuff dies down, the party will be reformed for the better.

It'll change soon.