Maine — Another Three-Way to Produce Another GOP?

http://townhall.com/tipsheet/cortneyobrien/2012/10/05/
leftwing_independent_losing_steam_in_maine_senate_race

Independent Angus King

Mr. Angus King is running ahead in a three-way race for the US Senate seat which Olympia Snowe is vacating, frustrated and frazzled by the partisan gridlock which is grinding Washington to a halt. I am more inclined to believe that she chose not to run, since a primary challenge was looking imminent, and she was polling better numbers with Democrats than with Republicans. She declined to switch parties, as did her "centrist" colleague Arlen Specter three years ago, with the net result that he lost prestige in the Senate, respect from his constituents, and his seat in a brutal primary.

Mr. King has served in Maine statewide office before, as governor. His policies include a strange mixture of local control and social liberalism. He is a par t of the new "No Labels" movement popping up in D.C.

He supports ObamaCare, which should be the kiss of death for King, the  Independent who claims that he will not caucus with either party if elected. Of course, his record, his stance on key issues, and his previous endorsements of John Kerry then Barack Obama, whom he also endorses for 2012, suggest where his loyalties lie.

Charles Summers

Earlier in the race, King had a twenty-point lead over the Republican, Iraq veteran Charles Summers, yet that lead has just dwindled to 14.5%. This huge drop, coupled with financial support for the Democrat, may help the Maine Republicans all the more.

The Democratic party has all but abandoned their own candidate, Cynthia Dill, who has consistently polled in third place. She has complained about the lack of support that the Democratic Party is denying for her.

Cynthia Dill

Mr. Summers may very well pull of the same upset that Governor Paul LePage mustered in 2010. He won 37% of the vote, becoming a Tea Party favorite in the Governor's mansion of a state bolstered by liberal views and moderate scope of government all around.

Imagine — Olympia Snowe the moderate Republican (or a RINO, if you will) replaced by a real Republican, a war veteran, and a committed Secretary of State for the state. He holds a statewide office now. What's to stop him from capitalizing on this expertise to take the Senate Seat?

Is Maine tilting red? Only time will tell, but some of LePage's reforms seem to be sticking through thick and thin, where his plain-spokenness has not alienated everyone in the state. Summers could do even better.

Only Summers should refrain from saying: "President Obama, go to hell!" or "Tell him to kiss my butt!"