(Maine)Crowded field of 21 hopefuls vying to be state’s next governor

[ccharles000]

AUGUSTA, Maine — Maine voters will have no shortage of choices as they select a successor to Gov. John Baldacci next year. The crowded mix of candidates includes seasoned State House insiders, business leaders who have been hitting the pavement hard for months, and candidates to match every ideological stripe.

Twenty-one candidates have registered as contestants for the open seat as Democrat Baldacci completes his second, four-year term. The field will grow even larger as more announcements are made in the coming days.

“I’m surprised and intrigued by how large the field is,” said Jim McGregor, a State House lobbyist who served as chief of staff for independent Gov. James Longley in the 1970s. McGregor said the stampede of candidates may be drawn into the race by the challenge of leading Maine out of the recession.

On the Democratic side, the most politically prominent candidates who have filed with state campaign overseers include former Attorney General G. Steven Rowe of Portland and Senate President Elizabeth Mitchell of Vassalboro, who like Rowe also has served as House speaker.

Making a return run for the Republican nomination after a No. 2 finish in 2006 will be another state senator, Peter Mills of Cornville. Entrepreneur Les Otten of Greenwood is in, and businessmen Matthew Jacobson of Cumberland and Bruce Poliquin of Georgetown have been actively campaigning for months.

http://www.bangordailynews.com/detail/129631.html

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1. Baldacci's record will make it tough for the Democrats

There have been a lot of hated and failed ideas over his two terms. Not entirely his fault but he gets the blame for them anyway. With some luck the Republicans will run a far right-wing candidate again and get screwed by their own teabaggery.

[GreenPartyVoter]

2. You'll notice that as usual only some of them are going to use public fudnign for their campaigns.

Really wish we would just make it mandatory for everyone.