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Wednesday, June 09, 2010

Maine Governor Elizabeth "Libby" Mitchell

Admirable congratulations are enthusiastically extended this morning to the winner of Maine's Democratic primary election for Governor 2010!

Maine's Senate President and former speaker of the legislature's House of Representatives, a career public servant with an extraordinary political resume, is as close to being the state's Governor elect as any candidate I can remember. Although Mitchell has a general election to face off this coming November, her candidacy will galvanize Maine's Democratic party to carry her to the Blaine House where the governor lives.

Let's get focused to comb the rafters and find every registered Democrat in Maine to support Mitchell this November. Likewise, we'll need a lot of independent voters, as well, to help seal the victory. Her victory will be much more than a political win. She must win to push back against right wing politics.

Senator Mitchell will run against a surprise Republican candidate who came out of political nowhere to win against formidable opponents who held extraordinary political resumes. LePage spent far less money than his closest rival, Les Otten, and won with a shoe string of an organization.

Mayor of Waterville and Marden's Department Store Executive, Paul LePage, defeated 6 other pedigree Republicans. Yikes!

Kudus to Mayor LePage, but no thanks as governor!

Maine's Grand Old Party is hanging low this morning. There are no post election press conferences to tout about the 38 percent decisive Republican victory.

LePage is a likable person, but philosophically, he's a creationist. Moreover, he carries a copy of the US Constitution in his shirt pocket like a prayer book - because he uses the document's words to fundamentally substitute for his intellect. Be wary of those who use the concrete intentionality of words to define their points of view.

LePage is a concrete thinker who will run Maine like it's a Marden's department store - a discount warehouse filled with merchandise people think they want to buy. Often, their Marden's purchases wind up sitting in the back of closets or cupboards. Why did 38 percent of the Republican primary vote to "buy" LePage and his message? Well, why do people shop at Marden's (discount) Department Stores? Because, they're looking for bargains.

I don't think LePage is a Marden's bargain. Rather, he's a pig in a poke. He's a tea party candidate cloaked with populist appeal.

Beating moderate and intellectual Republicans in the primary was a rout for LePage. He defeated Senator Peter Mills, a lawyer, a Maine State Senator, US Navy officer and Viet Nam War Veteran; he defeated Les Otten, a philanthropist, ski company mogul and former Boston Red Sox executive; he defeated Steve Abbott, who enjoyed the backing of the state's traditional party backers and he defeated Dr. Bill Beardsley, a man with two Ph.D degrees, one from Johns Hopkins University. Indeed, Republicans are stunned about this come from nowhere victory and anxious to figure out how LePage pulled off a 38 percent victory against such impressive opponents.

Maybe the large LePage family and the candidate's siblings beat the streets getting the unenrolled voters to register on his behalf. Frankly, the data is not yet ready to analyze because opponents are still licking their wounds. Of course, LePage says right wing extremists, like the Tea Party, helped to pull him out of the gate, when most pundits only expected him, on a chance, to show.

Nonetheless, the good news for Democrats is the Governor's office in November is ours to loose. Let's get behind Maine's Governor Elect Libby Mitchell and put her charisma, charm, intelligence, political skill, public policy expertise and dedication to work putting Maine back on track.

Let's sharply and decisively oppose dangerous right wing extremists who swept LePage to his polarizing defeat of Republican primary political insiders.

November's election will be THE one for Maine's Democrats to unite over. Let's get everyone to vote for Madam Senate President and gubernatorial candidate Elizabeth Mitchell on November 2nd!

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2 Comments:

Blogger Unknown said...

I cannot find a complete resume for Libby anywhere. In what state did she teach? What grades? How long?

Half my family are teachers. We would be interested to find out if she was a primary school teacher, college teacher, etc.

12:24 PM  
Blogger Juliana L'Heureux said...

Dear Michael, thank you for your post. I would contact the www.libbymitchellforgovernor.com campaign. Good question. Julie

6:34 PM  

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