PRESS HERALD:
Democrats tap candidate for special election
State House: Sheryl Briggs of
Rural hospitals receive federal grant
Tom Allen, D-Maine, announced that the federal government has awarded $385410 to small, rural hospitals in
Lobster fishing 'tie-ups' spread
Price and supply almost always are an issue for Maine
Thursday's Letters to the Editor … Congress past v. today … Ethics in society
Editorial: Don't drink to that
Finding no partners, Augusta rejects consolidation
CONSOLIDATION Windsor sees 8-town district
CONSOLIDATION Winthrop: Maranacook, Fayette
WINTHROP -- The Winthrop School Board voted unanimously Wednesday to form a regional school unit consisting of Winthrop, Fayette and Maranacook Area Schools.
LTE: Tracking is un-American
I cannot believe that the Maine Democratic Party would stoop so low as to track a Republican senator, Sen. Susan Collins, while she was participating in a recent parade.
SUN JOURNAL:
Democrats go first, picking Mexico candidate Briggs
Thursday, August 23, 2007
AUGUSTA (AP) - Looking to increase their hold on the state House of Representatives, Democrats in one of two newly open districts have selected a candidate for election in November.
Party officials said Wednesday that Sheryl Briggs of
A special election to fill the seat vacated by the resignation of Republican Randy Hotham of Dixfield will be held Nov. 6, coinciding with statewide voting on five ballot questions.
District 93 includes the towns of
"Sheryl's deep ties in the community and her strong work ethic make her a great candidate for office, and we are going to do everything we can to help her win this election. No doubt she will do a great job in
Republicans in District 93 have scheduled a nomination caucus for Aug. 29 and say several people have expressed interest in running.
"I am delighted by the number of Republicans who are willing to seek the party's nomination," Oxford County Republican Party Chairman Dan Bolling said in a statement. "Having so many people interested in serving honors the leadership and commitment to public service that Rep. Hotham has brought to the state Legislature."
The recent death of Republican Rep. Earl Richardson of
District 27 includes the municipalities of Abbot, Barnard, Beaver Cove,
District Republicans will hold a special caucus to choose a nominee next Tuesday.
Democrats are expected to pick their candidate in District 27 on Monday.
On June 12, majority Democrats picked up a seat in the Maine House of Representatives when Deane Jones of
Jones defeated Republican Penelope Morrell of
With two vacancies, the current partisan makeup of the House of Representatives is 89 Democrats, 58 Republicans and two independents.
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Democratic leaders, Baldacci huddle on legislative options
Thursday, August 23, 2007
AUGUSTA (AP) - Democratic House and Senate leaders met with Gov. John Baldacci on Wednesday to discuss new initiatives for next year's legislative session. After their meeting with the Democratic chief executive, the majority party lawmakers did not rule out an attempt at action even earlier.
At the same time, participants said, no one committed to anything and additional talks are expected.
"No firm plans yet," Baldacci said.
Joining the governor for the session were Senate President Beth Edmonds, House Speaker Glenn Cummings and the majority leaders of the House and Senate, Rep. Hannah Pingree and Sen.
Cummings rejected a suggestion that the governor was uninterested in tax reform.
"I think from this discussion he's very serious about it," the Portland Democrat said.
Cummings said the talks had touched inconclusively on the desirability of waiting until January to resume action or taking up new proposals in a special session later this year.
He also said ideas under discussion included spending controls and an income tax reduction, as well as some shift in the control of local jails from the counties to the state.
Mitchell, D-Vassalboro, called Wednesday's discussions with the governor a "beginning."
The Democratic lawmakers said they would confer among themselves on Thursday and report back to Baldacci next week.
Baldacci, who has also met with Republican leaders recently, said he was "encouraged" by his consultations with the Democrats but offered no specifics.
"We have to continue to look at administrative efficiencies, we have to look at restructuring, ... reducing administrative costs," he said. "And our citizens need tax relief."
Officials announced separately Wednesday that the Maine Senate will convene on the morning of Sept. 20 for voting on confirmation of various Baldacci appointments.
The Appropriations Committee has given state agencies until the end of the week to suggest ways to meet - in fact, more than meet - the savings target.
The committee is looking for $30 million in savings suggestions.
Meanwhile, communities around the state face an Aug. 31 deadline for filing their initial school system consolidation reports.
The consolidation plan is designed to reduce the state's 152 school administrative systems to 80. First-year state savings have been pegged at $36.5 million.
Upcoming as part of a series of community deadlines is an end-of-August requirement for notifying the state of merger plans.
Final organization plans are due by Dec. 1, and by Jan. 15, 2008, cities and towns would be expected to vote on whether to approve mergers.
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Bush supporters launch $15 million ad campaign
Thursday, August 23, 2007
WASHINGTON (AP) - Former White House aides are joining Republican fundraisers in bankrolling a $15 million, five-week advertising campaign putting pressure on lawmakers whose backing of President Bush's
The group, Freedom's Watch, launched the ads Wednesday, even as Bush delivered a renewed call for keeping
The ads will run in 20 states and will urge viewers to ask their member of Congress to stand by Bush's plan.
Organizers of the effort would not identify the targeted lawmakers, but a review of the initial TV ad placements - done by a group opposed to the war - shows most of them are in Republican congressional districts.
The ads could affect presidential politics as well. The group is paying for a substantial ad placement in
The ads feature soldiers wounded in the war or family members of soldiers killed in the war calling on lawmakers to support the current deployment of troops.
"The global war on terror requires American engagement, and if we surrender now, then I think it makes a more dangerous
Freedom's Watch was organized as a nonprofit organization under IRS rules and is not required to identify its donors or the amounts they give. The group named some of its financial backers but Blakeman said others wished to remain out of the public eye.
Among those publicly behind the effort are billionaire Sheldon Adelson, a fundraiser for Bush and chairman and CEO of the Las Vegas Sands Corp., and conservative philanthropist John M. Templeton Jr. of
An analysis of the ad placements by Americans United for Change, a group opposed to the war, found Freedom's Watch ads in 33 markets, many of them represented by moderate Republican senators and House members, including Iowa, Indiana, Maine, Minnesota, Nebraska, Tennessee and South Dakota.
The ads also are running in
Blakeman, a former deputy assistant to Bush for appointments and scheduling, declined to discuss the ad placements.
"The main mission is to educate not only the member, but also their constituents that surrender is not an option," he said.
AD WATCH:
The Pro War Ad Campaign
LTE: Resolving 'our' war
As September approaches, let us hold out hope that Congress will act in a responsible fashion and state a time when American forces will leave
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REPUBLICAN JOURNAL:
EDITORIAL: There’s no crying in politics - We don’t know which is more idiotic: U.S. Senator Susan Collins, one of the most powerful people in the nation whining that she feels intimidated by a little camera man from the Tom Allen campaign following her around, or The Bangor Daily News backing her up.
SEACOAST ONLINE:
Protesters to return to Kennebunkport this weekend
President Bush may have left town, but that won't stop what could be thousands of protesters coming here this weekend for what's been billed as a "Stop the War Rally" and a "Concert for Peace."
ATLANTICVILLE:
Fort Monmouth panel asks for extension
Susan Collins (RMaine) sent a letter to Sen. Carl Levin D-Mich.), chairman of the Armed Services Committee, and John McCain (RAriz. ...
POLITICO:
Groups plan $30 million battle over war
Susan Collins (R-Maine), whose home state is being blitzed by pro- and anti-war ads. Collins is running for re-election next year and is a top Democratic ...
NEW HAVEN ADVOCATE:
It's been a year since Ned Lamont came out of the clear blue
BLOGS:
ENPR: Week of August 22, 2007
Susan Collins (R). Pingree, who challenged Collins in 2002, had already raised nearly $250000 before she reeled in the endorsement this month of the ..
Nets Declare Bush's Vietnam Analogy Hypocritical and Invalid, Only ...
O'DONNELL: On the other side, a TV campaign from a group long critical of many Bush policies, targeting Republicans, like Maine Senator Susan Collins. VOICE IN AD FROM AMERICANS UNITED FOR CHANGE: Tell Susan Collins it's time to take a ...
WLOB’s Ray Richardson: Snowe Does Not Represent the GOP I Love - If you elect a Republican majority in the Maine House and Senate and the Blaine House in the image of Snowe, in essence, you have given up your party and its beliefs.
Dean Scontras, Jack Wibby to Speak at Constitution Party Meeting, 9/22
Mike Brennan mentions me in campaign speech
Allen's Bill to Sell Out Maine's Coast to Gov't or NGO's
Lance Dutson wants Sen. Susan Collins & Congressman Tom Allen to have a thoughtful debate on Iraq
Brennan for Congress Campaign Update
Candidate Questions
Democrats’ Senate Fundraising Committee Stayed Hot in July
