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Interview with Jerry Leeman: Today we bring you a story about a handful of fishermen rallying against a billion-dollar green industrial project, shady foreign corporations, and our own federal and state government. All are conspiring to generate a cash cow for...
By Greg Yates The criminal case People v Gosselin took place in a little red house structure known as the “Town of Highland Justice Court” located in Sullivan County, New York. This little red structure is also known as the Barryville Town Hall, where court is...
Just hours before Maine Democrats are scheduled to meet in Bangor to select a replacement nominee for the U.S. Senate, a Republican state lawmaker is asking Secretary of State Shenna Bellows to determine whether former Senate President Troy Jackson is legally eligible to receive the nomination at all. In a letter dated July 24, State
The Maine Democratic Party will gather Saturday in Bangor to select a replacement for former U.S. Senate nominee Graham Platner, but one question remains unanswered ahead of the closely watched convention: Will The Maine Wire be permitted to cover it? This reporter submitted a request for media credentials to attend the July 25 nominating convention.
The owner of The Cookie Jar of Maine says she has been nabbed for failure to account for a state sales tax. Laura Pomerleau said she was shocked when an armed state revenue agent drove into her parking lot. He handed her a document stating “Notice to cease retails sales.” “The guy was very, very
Approximately 20 clergy members and faith leaders from across Maine gathered Thursday morning at Spring Point Ledge Lighthouse to condemn recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations, call for increased federal oversight, and urge elected officials to oppose additional funding for the agency. The event, organized by the Greater Portland Multifaith Clergy Organizing Group in
Conservative grassroots organization Common Sense for Maine gathered Republican activists, candidates and supporters Thursday afternoon at Dunegrass Country Club, where founder Domenic Pugliares welcomed the crowd, unveiled a new slate of campaign advertisements, and introduced Republican gubernatorial nominee Bobby Charles, who laid out his vision for Maine ahead of the November election. Pugliares, the owner
A former State Department official who led Jewish outreach for Sen. Bernie Sanders’ 2020 presidential campaign has publicly broken with his former boss, accusing the Vermont independent of promoting candidates such as Maine’s Graham Platner whose rhetoric and positions fuel antisemitism. In an interview with Jewish Insider at the Aspen Security Forum, Joel Rubin didn’t
Although both Republicans and Democrats in Maine appear to be largely in lockstep with the other members of their party, Independents remain divided over who they intend to support at the polls this November. As found by the latest Pine Tree State Poll, a States of Opinion Project conducted by the University of New Hampshire
Maine’s Sen. Susan Collins (R) announced Monday that Maine’s Forest Bioproducts Advanced Manufacturing Tech Hub — an economic development initiative led by the University of Maine — will be receiving $20 million in federal funding. This award comes from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration and was personally announced to Sen. Collins by
The left-wing FRAME Strategies lobbying firm with ties to Troy Jackson has been running the astroturfed “Chickadee Network” to boost left-wing messaging and attack Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) on social media using volunteers. The scheme does not appear successful. [RELATED: Troy Jackson Builds Commanding Lead as Maine Democrats Begin Selecting Senate Convention Delegates…] The Chickadee
“We continued to ask Graham for the billionth time in this race if there was any information he had not shared,” says one adviser. “He continued to say no.” Graham Platner fought angrily to the bitter end to stay in the U.S. Senate race as advisers tried to persuade him he was finished, according to
LEWISTON, Maine — In a dramatic reorganization of city leadership Tuesday night, the Lewiston City Council voted 6-1 to remove Councilor David Chittim as council president following weeks of controversy over his behind-the-scenes efforts to revisit the council’s decision to eliminate the city’s economic development director position. Chittim cast the lone vote against his removal.
Bob Marley, arguably Maine’s funniest export, was forced to dive into the lake by his camp when his sweatpants caught on fire while making s’mores. Marley posted a Facebook video explaining the comedy of errors that suddenly weren’t so comedic. He says he was making the candy treats on his campfire with his uncle Jimmy
LEEDS, Maine — Republican gubernatorial nominee Bobby Charles is calling on Democratic nominee Hannah Pingree and independent candidate Rick Bennett to participate in a series of five issue-focused debates this fall, arguing that Maine voters deserve longer, more substantive discussions than the traditional televised debate format. In a challenge released Tuesday, Charles proposed holding each
AUBURN, Maine — Following more hours of testimony from state officials, healthcare providers, city staff, addiction recovery advocates and residents, the Auburn City Council voted 5-2 Monday night to approve a new ordinance regulating syringe service programs, concluding months of debate over how the city should balance public health initiatives with growing concerns about public
A coalition of 39 U.S. senators, including Maine Independent Angus King and 38 Democratic senators, is demanding answers from the Department of Homeland Security following two fatal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) shootings, including the July 13 death of Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero in Biddeford. In a letter sent to DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin, the
WASHINGTON – The Trump administration announced Sunday that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers will soon be required to wear body cameras during vehicle stops, a significant policy shift that follows two fatal ICE shootings in less than a week, including the death of Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero in Biddeford. White House border czar
Republican State Senate candidate John Andrews announced a plan on Monday to create a new executive branch office dedicated to combating waste, fraud, and abuse in state programs, focusing particularly on MaineCare fraud. [RELATED: John Andrews Says He Stood Up to Jackson, Bellows and Shah Before They Went National…] “Hardworking Maine families are tired of
AUGUSTA, Maine — A conservative advocacy organization founded, by state Rep. Laurel Libby, has released a detailed accounting of what it describes as 32 tax increases, new fees and other fiscal actions approved during Democratic Gov. Janet Mills’ eight years in office. The release comes as Democratic gubernatorial nominee Hannah Pingree, Mills’ former policy chief
The Lewiston City Council could remove Council President David Chittim from his leadership position Tuesday following months of controversy over his attempts to reverse council decisions, his suggestion that the council could ignore the city charter, and his response to survivors of the 2023 mass shooting. Two items on the council’s July 21 agenda could
Former Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows and former gubernatorial candidate Dr. Nirav Shah both suspended their campaigns for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate on Sunday, with Bellows announcing her decision first and Shah following later in the day. Both endorsed former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson, effectively clearing the path for Jackson
Former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson emerged as the clear front-runner Saturday as Maine Democrats began the unprecedented process of selecting delegates who will choose the party’s replacement nominee for the U.S. Senate race following Graham Platner’s withdrawal. County Democratic committees across Maine held the first round of delegate caucuses Saturday, electing representatives who will
Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows (D) announced Sunday that she is ending her campaign for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate, removing one of the party’s highest-profile candidates from the race to replace former Democratic nominee Graham Platner. In a statement released Sunday, Bellows said she was stepping aside to focus on her
The Maine chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America is considering whether to endorse former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson as he seeks the Democratic nomination to challenge Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins. Jackson is expected to meet with Maine DSA members on Monday for a question-and-answer session as the organization considers an endorsement petition
More than 1,000 protesters gathered in Portland’s Monument Square on Saturday despite steady rain, calling for the abolition of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) following last week’s fatal shooting of a Colombian immigrant during an enforcement operation in Biddeford. The demonstration was part of a nationwide “National Day of Action” held in cities across
Northern Maine woodsman Troy Jackson looked ready for prime time at Thursday night’s Democrat U.S. Senate debate, while Secretary of State Shenna Bellows came off as halting and nervous. Judging from online comments, YouTube viewers watching the WCSH-moderated debate thought Jackson won the night hands down. Former Center for Disease Control director Nirav Shaw and
Lawrence Lockman Now that the communist porta-potty pervert Graham Platner has had his fifteen minutes of fame, what’s next in the run-up to the midterm elections in Maine? I’ll get to that in a minute. First, I want to focus on the latest culture-war clash between deranged transgender supremacists and reality-based Mainers in the battle
The war between the United States and Iran escalated sharply Friday, with American forces launching a seventh consecutive night of airstrikes as Tehran fired missiles and drones toward U.S. military installations across the Middle East. The renewed fighting follows the collapse of an interim ceasefire that President Donald Trump declared “over” on July 8. Since
A tragedy is not a license to tear down the system. Thirty-six hours after a fatal ICE encounter in Biddeford, Maine, a community is grieving — and rightly so. But alongside the vigils came something else: upside-down flags, and calls to defund and dismantle the very institutions God has ordained. In this episode of The
Democrat Paige Loud ended her bid for her party’s Senate nomination on Thursday, calling the process to replace Platner “a deeply unserious spectacle,” and urging her supporters to fight alongside the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). [RELATED: More Than 5,500 Seek Delegate Spots as Maine Democrats Race to Replace Platner; Eight Candidates Set for Statewide
Senate Democrats were largely absent Wednesday as the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee convened a hearing, on Wednesday, titled “Exposing Fraud in America,” leaving nearly the entire Democratic side of the committee room empty during testimony focused on alleged fraud involving taxpayer-funded programs and election integrity. The hearing, chaired by Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), featured
The United States House of Representatives passed a bill by a wide margin that would make Daylight Saving Time permanent nationwide. In a bipartisan vote of 308-117, the House passed a bill that would leave clocks set to the time currently observed between March and November year-round. Despite this, the measure’s future in the Senate
It’s rare in politics to see real courage. Real courage shines through in the face of real consequences or injury. Jon Fetherston has demonstrated real courage this past week and he should be commended for it. Jon Fetherston is a reporter for the Maine Wire, but before that he had a long track record of
The Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance (MassFiscal), in partnership with Americans for Prosperity (AFP), will host a town hall Thursday evening in Boston focused on government spending, taxpayer accountability, and what organizers describe as the need for greater transparency and oversight in state government. The event will feature Fox News contributor Joe Concha alongside state and media
The Maine Wire has picked up a staggering 4,000 in additional Facebook followers in just the past couple of days alone, bringing its total to 204,000. The Maine Press Association is extolling the alleged accomplishments of its resigning executive director who has watched The Maine Wire steamroll the antiquated legacy newspaper club during her tenure.
The Maine Democratic Party’s accelerated effort to replace former U.S. Senate nominee Graham Platner is drawing intense interest from party activists across the state, with more than 5,500 people applying to participate as delegates or voters in the nomination process that will ultimately narrow to just 601 delegates selecting the party’s nominee. The surge in participation comes
ICE ordered its agents on Tuesday to cease vehicle stops in immigration enforcement activities following the fatal shooting of Joan Sebastian Guerrero, 26, of Colombia, in Biddeford on Monday. [RELATED: Driver Killed After Allegedly Attempting to Run Over ICE Agents in Biddeford; Loud Protests Erupt…] “While the investigation of the Biddeford shooting is not yet
Chris and Karen Harrington have gathered the required signatures to put their proposed food sovereignty ordinance on the Clinton Select Board’s agenda for Tuesday after the state ordered them to stop selling dairy products and baked goods at their farm stand. [RELATED: Clinton Farmers Collect Two Thirds of Signatures Required for Local Food Sovereignty Ordinance After
President Donald Trump ordered flags to be flown at half-staff nationwide to honor Senator Lindsey Graham who has passed away at the age of 71. Flags will remain at half-staff until July 18, 2026 at 6pm. “In honor of the remarkable life and achievements of Senator Lindsey Graham, a dear friend of mine, and a
If the meek David Costello ever wants to be taken seriously as a statewide candidate, he needs to, well, get serious. The Democrat from Brunswick was defeated June 9 in the party’s U.S. Senate primary, receiving 17,560 votes. Now that primary victor Graham Platner has withdrawn from the race amid a rape accusation, Costello could,
BANGOR, Maine — The Maine Democratic Party will convene an emergency nominating convention later this month, placing the power to choose its new U.S. Senate nominee in the hands of 601 party delegates following the dramatic collapse of Graham Platner’s campaign. The unprecedented convention will begin at 9 a.m. on Saturday, July 25, at the
RANDOLPH, Maine — U.S. Sen. Susan Collins (R) joined Randolph officials, firefighters and residents Saturday to celebrate the opening of the town’s new fire station, marking the completion of a project local leaders pursued for more than a decade. Collins attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony after marching earlier in the day in the Moxie Festival Parade
The Maine Democratic Party has launched an expedited nomination process to select a new candidate for the U.S. Senate, giving party members less than three weeks to choose a nominee who will face Republican Sen. Susan Collins in November. The unusual process must be completed by 5 p.m. on July 27, according to information released
The gay community is publicizing Jordan Wood as a logical alternative to Graham Platner, touting his sexual preference as an asset. “I am told that a gay man can’t win,” Wood said as he announced his candidacy. “Cynics are wrong.” He was quoted by the website LGBTQ Nation, which headlined his being gay could help
AUGUSTA, Maine — Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Graham Platner officially withdrew his candidacy Friday afternoon, submitting a formal letter to the Maine Department of the Secretary of State ending a campaign that collapsed after multiple allegations of sexual misconduct led to a mass exodus of political support. The withdrawal, dated July 10, formally removes Platner
‘Psycho’ Platner recruiter Dan Moraff may be a Valley Girl in drag. The strange-talking socialist political operative under fire for failing to properly vet Graham Platner was himself once blocked from a congressional campaign for alleged sexual harassment. U.S. Rep. Summer Lee, D-PA, barred Dan Moraff from her 2022 congressional campaign after receiving at least
Leftist Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) weighed in on Maine’s chaotic race on Thursday, reminding the public of Nirav Shah’s role in the mishandling of a deadly Legionnaires’ disease outbreak and opposing his Senate bid. [RELATED: Maine Democrats Release U.S. Senate Replacement Rules as Party Scrambles to Recover From Platner Collapse…] “Maine deserves better than someone
The First Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled against a Christian school in Bangor in a lawsuit against the State of Maine for allegedly violating their freedom of religion. The plaintiffs in this case, Crosspoint Church and Bangor Christian Schools, announced this week that they intend to appeal the decision. The controversy at the center
Graham Platner announced in a video shared Wednesday night that he would be filing paperwork to withdraw from the race for Maine’s seat in the United States Senate. So what happens next? The Maine Democratic Party announced following an emergency meeting held in anticipation of Platner’s announcement that they would be selecting a new candidate
The Maine Democratic Party has released the official rules governing how candidates may seek the party’s nomination for U.S. Senate following Graham Platner’s decision to suspend his campaign, offering the first detailed explanation of a process party leaders have repeatedly described as “transparent.” The release comes as Democrats race against the clock to replace their
A leading voice among Democrats of Maine blasted the party’s top manager for producing a video targeting Graham Platner for their political mess. Valli Geiger, a state rep from Rockland, is also denying that the party’s voter choice for U.S. Senate who withdrew from the nomination Wednesday after being accused of rape handpicked her as
In a 1988 SNL skit featuring Jon Lovitz playing Mike Dukakis debating George H.W. Bush, Lovitz said “I can’t believe I’m losing to this guy.” The line, which became iconic, must be what Maine’s two-term 78-year-old governor was saying leading up to the Democrat primary for U.S. Senate. After the votes were counted on what
Maine Beer Company co-founder Dan Kleban joined a growing number of Maine Democrats and announced his plan on Wednesday to run to replace Graham Platner as the party’s Senate nominee. Kleban previously ran an extremely short-lived primary campaign that began in September and ended on October 14, when Gov. Janet Mills (D-Maine) announced her candidacy
The Augusta School Board censured conservative member James Orr in a 6-1 vote on Wednesday, accusing him of violating the board’s code of ethics in his opposition to an April student walkout protest against proposed budget cuts. After the student walkout on April 30, Augusta Schools Superintendent Michael Tracy sent a complaint to the board,
Maine House Speaker Ryan Fecteau has been hired to run a city housing agency, prompting taxpayers to call out insider greasing. “So the Speaker of the House lands the executive director job at Biddeford Housing Authority, and we’re supposed to believe there’s no conflict of interest?” asked SF O’Leary on Facebook. “Give me a break.
I should be more professional. But I have to admit something: I’m going to miss the rallies. I’m going to miss standing there with my camera while Graham looked over and recognized me. Those little moments where his eyes said: “Oh, for fuck’s sake. That photographer from Maine Wire is here again.” The guy with
Sen. Susan Collins (R) announced Monday that the recently closed Tax Assistance Centers (TACs) in Bangor and Augusta have now been reopened by the federal government. TACs are physical offices offering support to those who lack stable internet access, need help navigating technology, or otherwise require in-person assistance with their taxes. Had these closures remained
Assistant House Republican Leader Rep. Katrina Smith has formally requested that the Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices review whether Speaker Ryan Fecteau’s continued service in the Maine House of Representatives, including as Speaker, is consistent with Maine’s legislative ethics and conflict-of-interest laws following his acceptance of employment as Executive Director of the
The Rockland state rep recruited Wednesday by a former U.S. Senate Democrat candidate has been all talk no action helping the poor. Maine State Rep. Valli Geiger, who Wednesday told WMTW-TV that Graham Platner wants her to replace him as the nominee, has an embarrassing housing-advocacy incident in her past, despite selling herself as the
I first met Graham Platner not as a supporter, not as an ally, and certainly not as someone who agreed with his politics. I met him as a reporter. From the beginning, I made one thing clear to him: I did not agree with much of anything that came out of his mouth, but I
It is rare to see a self-styled alpha populist so thoroughly emasculated as we have just witnessed with Graham Platner. It was tough to watch. It brought back memories of Platner devotee Stephen King’s The Shawshank Redemption. Ouch. Just last week they loved him. He was all the rage. But Maine Democratic honcho Devon Murphy-Anderson,
SULLIVAN, Maine – The stunning collapse of Democratic nominee Graham Platner’s U.S. Senate campaign has plunged Maine Democrats into an unprecedented race against the clock, forcing party leaders to rapidly organize a nominating convention to select a new challenger to Republican incumbent Susan Collins. Platner suspended his campaign following high-profile sexual assault allegations, setting off
Graham Platner was supposed to be the Democrats’ answer to Susan Collins. Instead, he became a national embarrassment. The rise and fall of Platner’s U.S. Senate campaign is not merely the story of one candidate imploding under the weight of his own record. It is the story of a political party that ignored every warning
Democratic Senate nominee Graham Platner is filing paperwork to end his Senate campaign amid a rape allegation and calls for him to drop out of the race from the Maine Democratic Party and prominent national-level Democrats. [RELATED: Maine Democrats Pressure Graham Platner to Withdraw as Party Scrambles for Senate Replacement…] “We believe that for the
The Victory Chimes, an historic schooner built in 1900 with a deep history of chartering in Maine, has sunk in Brooklyn during Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s America 250th maritime celebration. The vessel, which was to be converted into a floating restaurant, sank over the July 4th holiday in the Henry Street Basin during a squall, according
Politicians, progressive organizations and celebrity supporters are rushing to distance themselves from Graham Platner, raising questions about whether they were hypocrites, grossly uninformed or simply willing to overlook anything that might help defeat Susan Collins The politicians, progressive organizations and national personalities that helped transform Graham Platner from a little-known oyster farmer into Maine’s Democratic
Graham Platner’s campaign posted an urgent job listing for a new research director responsible for “defense strategies” on Tuesday, one day after a new rape allegation led him to cancel events and prompted many of his left-wing supporters to urge him to drop out of the race. [RELATED: Democrats Must Contend With Platner’s Rape Allegations
No wonder it took Vermont socialist U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders so long to finally urge Graham Platner to quit his senate bid. Sanders has his own rape-related skeleton, which surfaced when he was running in 2016 for president. During Sanders’ first run for the presidency an article he once wrote on his “rape fantasy” came
In the wake of Graham Platner dropping out and potentially being replaced by Troy Jackson, Shenna Bellows or Nirav Shah, former State Rep. John Andrews said Maine voters deserve legislators who will confront what he described as corruption and tyranny at the state level. Andrews, now a candidate for the Maine State Senate, said he
Embattled Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Graham Platner is facing mounting pressure to withdraw from the race following serious allegations of sexual assault and nonconsensual sexual behavior made by former partners. Platner has denied the allegations, but the political fallout has rapidly engulfed his campaign and left Maine Democrats scrambling to find a replacement before a
The betting markets are proving to be a good friend of former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson as a possible Democrat replacement for Graham Platner. Polymarket is showing Jackson beating No. 2 Nirav Shah by 55 points and No. 3 Shenna Bellows by 59 points as the default candidate in case Platner drops out of
The battle over whether Maine voters will be allowed to decide the future of girls’ sports and private spaces is now in the hands of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court. The state’s highest court heard oral arguments on July 1 in a fast-moving legal dispute over the Protect Girls’ Sports in Maine citizen initiative, which
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) broke his silence and called on Graham Platner to withdraw from the race on Tuesday afternoon, while failing to comment on whether he believes the new rape allegation is credible. [RELATED: Democrats Stood by Graham Platner Through Months of Controversy. Why Was This the Breaking Point?…] “I have spoken with Graham
As Democratic politicians and groups across the country rushed to disavow Graham Platner amid a new rape allegation, left-wing megadonor and horror author Stephen King expressed hope that the Democratic candidate would remain in the race, before backpedaling and deleting his post. [RELATED: Two Ex-Congressional Chiefs Of Staff Claim Platner Is Quitting Race; U.S. Rep.
At a time when Americans are marking the nation’s 250th anniversary, one of the country’s most recognizable television personalities has once again found herself at the center of a controversy over the American flag. During Monday’s broadcast of The View, co-host Sunny Hostin said neighborhoods displaying numerous American flags make her feel “unsafe.” “There are
Democrat candidate for governor Hannah Pingree split from her protege Sunday, proposing a moratorium on AI data centers, her first major policy split with Gov. Janet Mills. Mills, the two-term-limited governor who was previously Pingree’s boss in the state policy office, recently vetoed an AI center ban. Pingree, who Mills late in the primary campaign
As audiences increasingly move away from traditional television broadcasts and printed newspapers in favor of digital news, Maine Wire TV has emerged over the past few months as one of Maine’s fastest-growing online news programs, bringing viewers live coverage of breaking news, investigative reporting, political analysis, and interviews with the people shaping public policy across
Dirty little secret – the flames that are arguably ending Graham Platner’s U.S. Senate candidacy were fanned by Democrats, not Republicans. It was the Democrat establishment that spent months planting stories about Platner’s sordid past, not Republicans. Republicans actually prefer to run their candidate Susan Collins against Platner, who they think comes across as two
Why now? For months, Democratic leaders defended, endorsed, or remained silent as controversy after controversy engulfed their U.S. Senate nominee, Graham Platner. Now, following a newly reported sexual assault allegation made by former girlfriend Jenny Racicot, an allegation Platner has categorically denied, many of those same leaders are calling for him to end his campaign.
A conservative Washington news outlet is reporting Graham Platner, accused of rape Monday, will be withdrawing from Maine’s Senate race. “A well-placed source told the Washington Reporter that Platner is poised to drop out,” the outlet said in what it’s calling an “exclusive.” In a related development, California congressman and key Platner supporter Ro Khanna
AUGUSTA, Maine — With mounting calls from Democratic leaders for U.S. Senate nominee Graham Platner to withdraw from the race, attention is rapidly shifting to a question that seemed unlikely just days ago: who could replace him on the November ballot? The pressure on Platner intensified after new allegations of sexual assault became public. Platner
Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Graham Platner on Monday categorically denied a new allegation of sexual assault leveled by a former girlfriend, releasing a roughly two-minute video address amid mounting pressure on his campaign against incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins. In the video, posted to X, the combat veteran and oyster farmer appeared in a casual
The new rape allegation made against Graham Platner by a former girlfriend on Monday place his Democratic supporters in an extremely difficult position. They must now choose between staying the course and defending Platner, despite their past condemnations of sexual abuse, or maintaining their integrity and rejecting Platner. [RELATED: Bellows, Warren, and Pingree Stand by
AUGUSTA, Maine — Maine Democrats may soon discover that their decision to rally around Graham Platner was not simply a political gamble, but a potentially devastating failure of judgment. The left leaning new outlet, POLITICO, Monday afternoon published a story stating that a woman who dated Maine U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner says he forced her to
Vermont’s senior senator, a key supporter of Maine Democrat U.S. Senate nominee Graham Platner, Sunday rejected the alleged hypocrisy of flying charters while blasting oil-executive salaries. “Independent” Bernie Sanders’ use of private jets for his political campaigns and tours has drawn scrutiny from critics who argue it contradicts his advocacy against corporate wealth and environmental
The Maine Secretary of State’s Office has announced the results of the two remaining recounts from the June 9 primary election. In ranked choice elections, only candidates who emerge in the top three at the end of the next-to-last round of tabulation are eligible to request a recount, unlike non-ranked choice elections where any unsuccessful
As the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary, a newly released Gallup poll suggests national pride has fallen to its lowest level in the survey’s history, highlighting deep political and generational divides over how Americans view their country. The poll found that only 33 percent of Americans say they are “extremely proud” to be American,
Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey has responded to the United States Supreme Court’s decision to uphold state laws barring biological males from playing on female-only sports teams. “Today’s ruling, while predictable, is yet another disturbing affront to personal liberties by providing states with a license to discriminate,” wrote Attorney General Frey in a statement Tuesday.
A new Preble Street report identified more than 100 people experiencing unsheltered homelessness in a single section of Portland, raising questions about whether government counts are capturing the full scope of the city’s continuing homelessness crisis. Preble Street Health Services and the Preble Street Outreach Collaborative identified 104 people living outside during an informal count
GOP lawmakers say Gov. Janet Mills allowed political differences with President Donald Trump to cost Maine a valuable opportunity to promote its tourism industry on the national stage. Republican lawmakers and volunteers stepped in to represent Maine at the Great American State Fair in Washington, D.C., after Gov. Janet Mills’ administration declined to operate the
While The Maine Wire is attempting to get the state’s see-no-evil, hear-no-evil lame-duck governor to actually do her job, the state’s daily newspaper of record is finding it all quite funny. “Gov. Mills is having fun at Maine theaters” is an actual headline from Thursday’s rag of record. While Jon Fetherston of The Maine Wire
Is Maine godless? Bobby Charles doesn’t think it has to stay that way. Fresh off securing the Republican nomination for Governor of Maine, Bobby Charles sits down at The Pastor’s Office to talk about what’s really at stake in November — and it goes far beyond politics. In this conversation, Bobby and Pastor Travis discuss:
Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Graham Platner is facing renewed scrutiny following a report from NBC News that multiple women who previously had personal relationships with him are now working with a progressive advocacy organization that is providing legal assistance and helping coordinate media communications. According to NBC News, attorney and progressive social media influencer Cheyenne
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) had a slim three-point polling lead over Graham Platner for the first time in the race in a new late-June poll from Fox News released on Monday, just days after a New York Times poll showed Platner’s lead shrinking. [RELATED: Platner’s Polling Lead Continues to Shrink in New York Times/PPH Poll…]
Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner continued his statewide campaign Wednesday with a well-attended rally in Cumberland, where supporters gathered despite oppressive summer heat to hear a speech centered on economic inequality, health care, housing, campaign finance reform and what he described as the need for sweeping political change. Speaking for roughly 40 minutes, Platner
Buying a new car is becoming a financial burden many working Americans can no longer afford. New-vehicle prices are climbing again, but the sticker price is only the beginning. Higher interest rates, record monthly payments, longer loan terms, rising repair costs and expensive insurance premiums are driving the true cost of vehicle ownership far beyond
SACO, Maine — U.S. Sen. Susan Collins (R) joined local, state and federal officials in Saco Tuesday to mark the official start of construction on the Camp Ellis Shore Damage Mitigation Project, a long-awaited effort aimed at reducing shoreline erosion and storm damage in one of Maine’s most vulnerable coastal neighborhoods. The event included remarks
Maine’s southern-district congresswoman falsely claims the Supreme Court’s “transsexual” ruling “bullies kids.” In fact, the decision merely keeps boys out of girls’ sports. It doesn’t forbid boys claiming to be girls from playing on transsexual teams. The bottom line is so-called trans kids are welcome to be athletes – but not on mixed-gender squads. The
The United States Supreme Court voted 6-3 Tuesday to uphold state laws barring biological males from playing on female-only sports teams. Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson concurred in part and dissented in part from the majority’s opinion. The case brought before the Court stemmed from challenges filed by two students who
A top Maine labor spokesman and vocal supporter of Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Graham Platner is facing backlash after using the phrase “first against the wall” in a social media comment aimed at a Democratic strategist who refused to support Platner. Andy O’Brien, the communications director for the Maine AFL-CIO, made the comment as Democrats
A bipartisan majority of House representatives passed a controversial bill on Monday aimed at protecting minors from harmful online content, which has drawn privacy concerns from some in light of draconian online safety measures in Europe. [RELATED: AI Bill Claiming to Protect Minors Could Institute Online Age Verification Requirements to Maine…] “This legislation represents an
NPR “reporter” Nina Totenberg reported Tuesday the retirement of conservative Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, a piece the outlet later admitted was false. The story was soon taken down and replaced with an editor’s note saying it had been “published in error.” Totenberg’s fake article was headlined “Justice Samuel Alito, who wrote the opinion overturning
The managing editor of the state’s largest daily is literally begging readers to tell her why they read the rag of record. Actually Julie Arenstam is trying to figure out what they don’t like about her cute little newspaper. Arenstam posted a story noting that “by now you’ve probably gotten a few reminders about a
Mainers need to rally and overrule the Democrat killjoys who refused to sponsor a booth at the Great American State Fair in Washington. Otherwise, Pennsylvania may wind up stealing the spotlight with its own “Spirit of 250” exhibit. “Pennsylvania’s found a way to get Pennsylvania to the State Fair,” says James Fisk, an avid follower
Review Ironbound RestaurantHancock, Maine We come off a long news day already half-cooked from the road. Jon Fetherston, Graham Pollard, and myself are in Sullivan, Maine, chasing follow-ups tied to the Platner campaign. The sun is falling, but there’s still one journalistic itch that needs scratching. Curiosity brings us to Ironbound. Rumor: the food’s good.
Graham Platner’s consistent polling lead over incumbent Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) continued to shrink in a New York Times/Portland Press Herald/Siena poll released on Sunday. [RELATED: Platner Attempts to Shore-up Campaign With New Statement Touting Fundraising and Highlighting Internal Poll Maintaining Lead Over Collins…] The poll surveyed 608 likely Maine voters on numerous issues, including
Chris and Karen Harrington have gathered more than two-thirds of the 149 signatures they need to help pass a food sovereignty ordinance in Clinton, after a state official showed up at their house and stopped them from selling baked goods and dairy at their farm stand. [RELATED: Clinton Family Farmers Take Action after State Regulators
Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner was absent from this year’s Oysterfest in Freeport, and his company, Waukeag Neck Oyster Company, did not have a booth at the event despite the presence of numerous oyster growers from across Maine. The Maine Wire was at the event on Saturday, but America’s most-notable oyster farmer was nowhere
Over the course of the last six decades, those regularly traveling along Route 26 in Maine have become familiar with a classic throwback motel as they pass through the small town of Woodstock. It’s known as the Mollyockett Motel, a classic motor lodge is located in Bryant Pond, a village in Woodstock that’s been conservative
Riders using Greater Portland Metro and BSOOB Transit will soon pay more to use most bus services as both transit agencies implement a systemwide fare adjustment effective Aug. 1. The increase, approved by the Metro Board of Directors and the BSOOB Transit Committee, marks the first fare hike since late 2020. Transit officials said the
The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) has spent more than four decades building what was once considered a fringe political movement into one that now influences elections from city halls to Congress—and increasingly, statewide campaigns. Founded in 1982 through the merger of several socialist organizations led by democratic socialist activist Michael Harrington, the DSA has
U.S. Sen. Susan Collins (R) joined Gov. Janet Mills (D), Lewiston Mayor Carl Sheline, Auburn Mayor Jeffrey Harmon, and local community leaders Saturday to celebrate the grand opening of the new Maine Museum of Innovation, Learning, and Labor, known as Maine MILL, at the former Camden Yarns Mill along the Androscoggin River. The event also
The state’s Southern-District congresswoman thinks she’s just discovered Facebook, judging from her new anti-Trump publicity campaign. Democrat 17-year U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree has suddenly, mysteriously started posting videos complaining about Republicans every time she returns home to her organic island retreat from Washington. “OK, we’re already back in Maine” Minnesota-born Chellie tells viewers from the
After moving from Vermont to Maine to buy a breakfast joint, Sara and Dave LeBlanc find themselves in a real cockfight. The couple, who run a place called The Omelette factory in Ogunquit, bought a couple of metal rooster statues to decorate their new establishment. But the Ogunquit code officer cried fowl, claiming the roosters
By Jon Fetherston Wait. What? Are we seriously expected to believe this? Democrats like Graham Platner, Hannah Pingree, and Chellie Pingree have settled on the same campaign message: Donald Trump is the problem. Everything is terrible. Elect us, and we’ll fix it. The audacity would be impressive if it weren’t so insulting. Who exactly do
When Democrat U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner accused his GOP incumbent rival of potential criminality she pulled out the “d” word. But Sen. Susan Collins would have a high hill to climb proving – as she suggested – that Platner defamed her during a Thursday press conference. Making a legal case for defamation is virtually
Southern Maine Community College (SMCC) was inaccurately telling students in its health science program that they needed to receive a COVID vaccine or lose their place in the program, despite the state ending the COVID vaccine mandate for healthcare workers in 2023. The policy remained in place until Thursday, when the parent of a student,
Clinton family farmers are taking action after an inspector from the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry (ACF) arrived at their house on Tuesday and ordered them to stop selling milk and sourdough bread at their farm stand. [RELATED: Farmers’ Almanac Saved at the Last Minute after New York Digital Media Buyout…] “I was
Republican gubernatorial nominee Bobby Charles is challenging his Democratic opponents to publicly reject campaign contributions from Augusta lobbyists, Central Maine Power, and AI data center companies, setting the stage for what he says is a defining issue in Maine’s race for governor. Charles announced Thursday that he will hold a press conference Friday morning at
Maine House candidate Austin Theriault (R) announced Thursday the launch of the People Over Politics PAC, a new leadership political action committee aimed at helping elect Republican candidates to the Maine House of Representatives. According to the campaign, the PAC has already secured more than $200,000 in fundraising commitments within a matter of weeks and
The National Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) expressed its support for Democratic Second Congressional District (CD2) nominee Matt Dunlap after doubts surfaced about his electoral chances against former Governor Paul LePage. [RELATED: National Dem Support for Dunlap Uncertain Following Upset Ranked-Choice Voting Victory…] “In a working-class, rural district like ME-02, the path to victory runs
A federal judge in Boston has blocked key aspects of President Donald Trump’s 2025 election integrity Executive Order from taking effect. The new ruling from U.S. District Court Judge Denise Casper of Boston effectively served to convert a preliminary injunction issued last year into a more permanent ban. President Trump’s Executive Order sought to require
Graham Platner has built his campaign for U.S. Senate around a carefully crafted image: the working-class Marine veteran, the man of the sea, the oyster farmer who understands coastal Maine because he lives it. But after spending Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday on the ground in Sullivan, Ellsworth, and the surrounding communities, The Maine Wire found
The Maine Secretary of State’s Office has announced the results of the Senate District 30 recount, impacting residents of Gorham and parts of Scarborough. A recount was requested by Rep. Ellie Sato of Gorham after Rep. Sophia Warren of Scarborough won the Democratic primary by a margin of just 29 votes. Senate District 30 is
Thrice-censured radical left-wing Bangor City Councilor Joseph Leonard went on an anti-ICE tirade during Monday’s council meeting before an ordinance aimed at limiting city cooperation with immigration enforcement failed. [RELATED: Bangor City Council Working on Ordinance to Restrict Cooperation with Immigration Enforcement…] “This is a criminal organization, but I don’t expect our rapist pedophile facist
National Democratic support for Maine’s Second Congressional District (CD2) nominee Matt Dunlap remains uncertain after his upset victory over front-runner and nationally endorsed candidate State Sen. Joe Baldacci (D-Penobscot), thanks to ranked-choice voting. [RELATED: Wood Gets Shafted: “Courageous” Democratic Candidate Responds After Party Endorses Baldacci Instead of Him…] “The onus is on Dunlap to make
Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner on Monday received the endorsement of Planned Parenthood and used the occasion to sharpen his criticism of Sen. Susan Collins, Maine’s Republican incumbent, while making an unusual personal disclosure about his own experience using the organization’s health services. The most notable moment of the event came when Platner volunteered
The Maine Public Utilities Commission (PUC) voted unanimously this past Tuesday to launch an investigation into the Casco Bay Ferry’s latest passenger rate hikes. This comes after 50 islanders submitted a petition to the PUC raising concerns that the increased prices would have a negative impact on low- and middle-income families, as well as seniors
Sen. Susan Collins (R) led a small group of lawmakers in urging Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz to make the adjustments necessary to support the successful implementation of the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP). According to the senators, current guidance from the agency may “unintentionally disadvantage” many rural hospitals
The York County Commissioners voted narrowly on Wednesday to refuse to issue a proclamation commemorating LGBTQ Pride Month, sparking a lengthy social media response from openly gay Commissioner Justin Chenette. [RELATED: Bangor’s Rainbow Crosswalk Cost Taxpayers $2,590 Before Repairs…] “My heart is heavy with the defeat of our Pride proclamation. By a single vote. The
A U.S. senator who became a brave early backer of Maine Democrat Senate hopeful Graham Platner may not be setting the best example of ethics for his protege. Sen. Ruben Gallego of Arizona has been found to have used leftover campaign money for family travel and Super Bowl seats, Politico writer Irie Sentner reported Sunday.
The Collins for Senator campaign announced the formation of a statewide coalition of Maine veterans supporting U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, highlighting what the campaign described as her longstanding record of supporting veterans, military families, and Maine’s defense community. The announcement comes as Collins seeks another term in the U.S. Senate and has drawn support from
Maine has one billionaire. Her name is Susan Alfond. Alfond, a Scarborough resident and heiress to the Dexter Shoe fortune, is listed by Forbes as one of the richest people in the world, with an estimated net worth of roughly $3.5 billion. Her family’s fortune traces back to Harold Alfond, who built Dexter Shoe Co.
Susan Collins Campaign Manager Steve Abbott delivered an energetic and often pointed speech Saturday at the Maine GOP Unity Breakfast, praising Republican volunteers and candidates while directing some of his strongest criticism toward Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Graham Platner. Speaking to a room filled with Republican activists, elected officials, candidates, campaign staff, and supporters, Abbott
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is advising political observers not to count out Sen. Susan Collins. On ABC’s This Week, Christie called the five-term GOP senator from Maine “one of the most resilient politicians” he has ever met. Christie, who has two failed presidential campaigns under his belt, predicted her challenger is in for
HALLOWELL, Maine — Republican leaders, candidates, activists, and volunteers gathered Saturday morning at the Maine GOP’s Unity Breakfast at Maple Hill Farm Inn & Conference Center, delivering a consistent message to supporters: the primary election is over, and the focus must now shift toward winning in November. The event brought together Republican candidates, party officials,
By: Jon Fetherston Graham Platner wants Maine voters to send him to Washington as a United States senator. Think about that for a moment. A man seeking one of the highest offices in the country wants to help write the laws that govern 340 million Americans. Yet his own record raises a serious question: Does
Maine election officials on Friday released final results from several key primary contests more than a week after voters went to the polls, bringing an end to a prolonged counting process that drew increasing criticism of the state’s ranked-choice voting system and the administration of Secretary of State Shenna Bellows. Among the most significant results,
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) celebrated Sen. Bernie Sanders’ (I-Vt.) strong support for her bipartisan push for affordable insulin after the socialist endorsed Graham Platner’s campaign against her. [RELATED: Collins, King Announce More Than $16 Million for Economic Development Projects Across Maine…] “I find it extremely interesting that Ranking Member Sanders has proposed nine amendments to
Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) signed onto letters complaining about the U.S. National Park Service’s money to fund beautification projects for Washington, D.C., and opposing the proposed triumphal arch. [RELATED: “I’m the Johnny Appleseed of Bath Mats:” Amid Rampant Healthcare Fraud, Angus King Wants Medicare Funded Bath Mats…] “The issue here isn’t architecture. Or patriotism. It’s
I spent most of Wednesday at the Department of Public Safety building in Augusta watching Maine’s ranked-choice voting tabulation process unfold. Or perhaps more accurately, slowly unfold. To be clear, everyone involved was friendly and professional. Staff from the Secretary of State’s Office, Maine State Police personnel, campaign representatives, members of the media, and election
The Maine Wire chief editor’s description of a U.S. Senate candidate’s alleged oyster business as a fake campaign prop turns out to be true, despite an alleged media critic claiming he’s wrong. Steve Robinson came under fire from a group that calls itself Politifact for saying on national TV that Graham Platner’s oystering is a
Secretary of State Shenna Bellows ruled last week that independent Androscoggin sheriff’s candidate Kevin Nichols is ineligible to run for the position following a challenge from incumbent Democrat Eric Samson. [RELATED: Republican Oxford Sheriff Candidate Admits to Errors After Incumbent Republican Files Ethics Complaint Against Him…] The ruling, handed down on June 10, essentially secures
Protect Girls Sports in Maine has filed an appeal with the Maine Supreme Judicial Court challenging a lower court’s decision blocking the group’s referendum question from appearing on the ballot this November. Leyland Streiff of the organization indicated the group’s intent to appeal the ruling in a statement obtained by the Maine Wire last week.
Seven days after Maine’s June primary election, questions are emerging about the handling of ranked-choice voting results after reporting issues surfaced in several communities across the state, raising concerns about transparency, chain of custody procedures, and public confidence in the vote-counting process. The Maine Wire began investigating the irregularities after receiving tips early Tuesday morning
U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced that 19 Maine organizations will receive more than $16 million in federal funding to support economic development projects across the state. The $16,201,188 funding comes through the Northern Border Regional Commission’s Fiscal Year 2026 Catalyst, Timber for Transit, and Forest Economy programs. “The NBRC has been an
Two primary races for seats in the Maine State Legislature will now be moving on to ranked choice voting tabulations. Three recounts have also been announced. Immediately following the June 9 primary election, the Maine Secretary of State’s Office issued a press release explaining that both the Democrat and Republican primaries for governor, as well
The Portland City Council voted 7-2 on Monday night to reject a proposed Payment In Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) program that supporters argued could have helped ease the city’s growing property tax burden by seeking voluntary contributions from some of Portland’s largest tax-exempt institutions. The proposal would have established a formal framework for requesting payments
Jennifer Gingrich sounds like a leftist when she calls herself a feminist but then she blows her cover by adhering to some logical principles, like keeping boys out of girls locker rooms. “Humans can’t change sex and men don’t belong in girls spaces or sports,” Gingrich’s X profile says as a precursor. So Gingrich caught
Maine will reportedly not be participating in the upcoming Great American State Fair, a sixteen-day event held as part of the country’s ongoing 250th anniversary celebrations. The Great American State Fair is described by Freedom 250 as “an opportunity for visitors from across America to experience an unforgettable celebration of the people and traditions that
Nearly a week after Maine voters went to the polls, the final results in three major primary races remain undecided as state officials continue the ranked-choice voting tabulation process in Augusta. The races still pending include the Democratic primary for governor, the Republican primary for governor, and the Democratic primary for Maine’s 2nd Congressional District.
Oil prices are beginning to fall as the war in Iran appears to be winding down, raising hopes that drivers in Maine and across the country could soon see additional relief at the gas pump. Before the Iran war escalated in late February, Brent crude settled at $70.85 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate, the
If you have an extra chair at your Fourth Of July barbecue bitter public servant Chellie Pingree says “sorry I can’t make it.” In an SNL-trademarked Debbie Downer video message Saturday on Facebook, the First District congresswoman confirmed she’s the hit of the party. Not! Looking tired, disheveled and depressed, the wrinkled, aging 71-year-old Democrat
A far-left activist tied to Democrat U.S. Senate nominee Graham Platner is facing allegations after law enforcement sources and Lewiston residents say she stalked and harassed a federal Homeland Security Investigations agent through Lewiston streets after mistakenly believing the agent was connected to ICE enforcement operations. Multiple sources, speaking on condition of anonymity because they
A veteran University of Virginia political analyst who looks for excuses to favor the Democrats isn’t buying what Graham Platner is selling. Despite Polymarket calling Platner a 32-point odds-on favorite to beat GOP U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, Larry Sabato is calling the race a toss-up. The longtime Virginia political analyst shows Maine as key to
U.S. Senator Susan Collins delivered remarks Thursday at the Maine Credit Union League’s Annual Convention in Portland, praising Maine’s credit unions for their long-standing role in supporting local families, protecting seniors from fraud, and investing in communities across the state. Hundreds of employees and representatives from more than 40 Maine credit unions attended the annual
The Maine Secretary of State’s Office announced Thursday morning that three races are officially moving on to ranked choice voting tabulation, including both the Democrat and Republican primaries for governor, as well as the Democrat primary in District 2. Given the wide field of candidates running in each of these races, it is not unexpected
BOSTON, Massachusetts – The Massachusetts Republican Party is sharply criticizing Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey after she publicly endorsed Maine Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Graham Platner, arguing the decision raises serious questions about her judgment and political priorities. In a blistering statement released June 10, the Massachusetts Republican Party accused Healey and U.S. Sen. Ed Markey
It was only a matter of time before Graham’s exes started telling tales out of school – including the pie-plate caper. “You’ll be shocked to learn that Graham Platner’s ex-lovers are now coming out of the woodwork,” said Steve Robinson, editor in chief of The Maine Wire For instance: “I very briefly was talking to
The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) warned against underestimating Graham Platner’s electoral chances in a Wednesday memo following his primary victory and urged Republicans to campaign with “urgency.” [RELATED: Anti-Platner Website Targets Democratic Senate Candidate After Campaign Fails to Secure Name-Based Domain…] “For Democrats, this race is not about the individual on the ballot; it
Peru, Maine, residents voted on Tuesday to saddle themselves with draconian new homeowners association-style rules governing how they use their property, including strictures on yard maintenance, vehicle repairs, and parking. [RELATED: Peru, Maine, Sexual Assault Suspect Found Dead After Threatening Suicide During Police Standoff…] Voters in Peru were confronted at the ballot box with a
The presumptive Maine Democrat U.S. Senate nominee is suggesting potential embarrassing pictures or texts may still come out of, from and about his past. Graham Platner appeared on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” show Wednesday after his big primary win the day before to address potential additional fallout. Platner’s overwhelming 50-point victory over Gov. Janet Mills came
SACO, MAINE – A long-simmering contract dispute between the Saco School Department and Thornton Academy erupted into public Wednesday as school officials, trustees, parents, and community members packed a tense Saco School Board meeting over the future of the city’s historic relationship with the academy. https://www.facebook.com/SacoSchoolDept/videos/1217882651401346 Although negotiations between the two sides have been taking
WASHINGTON – Former President Donald Trump has publicly endorsed U.S. Senator Susan Collins for reelection, marking a notable political moment in a relationship that has often been defined by public disagreements and political friction. Speaking during a White House event, Trump acknowledged that he and Collins have frequently clashed over policy and votes during his
5/31/26Graham Platner & Shenna Bellows RallyDeering Oaks, Portland, Maine. I was operating on home turf. Deering Oaks is trying very hard to remain neutral. Ducks glide across the pond, a jogger sprints in the distance, unaware of the political shift about to occur. I step into the perimeter. Staff clocks me immediately. A staffer shakes
On Tuesday, voters in Portland overwhelmingly approved the district’s proposed $179 million school budget, which will be accompanied by a 5.68 percent property tax hike. Nearly half of registered voters in the city cast a ballot in Tuesday’s election. Held during an off-cycle election, the previous budget referendum saw just a ten percent turnout rate.
Maine Democrat Senate nominee Graham Platner has come under heavy fire for his many immoral and vile statements. These include lying about a Nazi tattoo, justifying rape, denigrating American hero Chris Kyle, and making remarks about me. I’m the soldier in the viral combat video whom Platner stated “didn’t deserve to live.” Platner and his
Conservative activist Nicholas “Corn Pop” Blanchard lost his special election for the Augusta School Board’s open at-large seat on Tuesday to the radical leftist policy director of Maine’s Office of Cannabis Policy (OCP), Gabi Berube Pierce. [RELATED: OCP Policy Director and Radical Leftist Running for Augusta School Board Previously Raised Funds for Abortion and “Gender
U.S. Central Command has released stunning video of a Bath-built warship carrying out multiple strikes in the Iran war. The attacks by the USS Michael Murphy were launched Wednesday under orders from President Trump, Pentagon officials announced. “The strikes are in response to Iran’s unwarranted and continued aggression,” the U.S. Navy said. “U.S. forces remain
SULLIVAN, Maine – An apparent digital oversight by Graham Platner’s U.S. Senate campaign has opened the door for a new opposition website targeting the Democratic candidate by name. The website, published at GrahamPlatner.org, is not operated by Platner’s campaign. Instead, the page is paid for by SLF PAC and states that it is “not authorized
Seven in ten of the state’s “liberals” just unapologetically voted for a guy who: √ Has a Nazi tattoo √ Called cops bastards√ Said black people don’t tip √ Deacribed rural Mainers as stupid √ Suggested rape victims get what they deserve √ Accused a soldier of stupidity by surviving gunfire √ Sexted women online
Republican Senate candidate John E. Sununu intensified his criticism of Democratic activist Graham Platner on Wednesday, dismissing any suggestion that he could work with Platner in Washington and arguing the Maine Democrat is unfit for federal office. Speaking with NH Journal, Sununu was asked whether he could work across the aisle with a Democrat such
President Donald Trump referred to Graham Platner as a thug and speculated that he was the worst person to ever run for office during an Oval Office event after Platner’s primary victory. [RELATED: Maine Democrat Gov. Janet Mills Refuses To Concede Crushing U.S. Senate Primary Loss To Graham Platner…] “I watched that thug who’s up
The state’s two-term-limited governor is still holding out hope she can become the Democrat nominee for U.S. Senate. Despite Janet Mills losing the primary to neophyte Graham Platner by some 50 points, she’s banking on the controversy-plagued Platner to eventually decline the nomination. Platner, 41, a Sullivan ex-Marine whose Nazi tattoo, misogynistic behavior and anti-establishment
AUGUSTA, Maine – Maine’s 2026 primary elections delivered decisive victories in some races while triggering the state’s ranked-choice voting system in several of the night’s most competitive contests, setting the stage for days of additional ballot tabulations before final nominees are officially declared. With no candidate surpassing the required 50 percent threshold in both gubernatorial
The apparent Maine primary U.S. Senate Democrat nominee is blaming a former Navy SEAL for an allegedly fake memoir. Graham Platner is accusing Marcus Luttrell of “lying” in his popular war memoir about his combat experience in Afghanistan. Platner claims Luttrell used a ghostwriter who supposedly ripped off another SEAL’s book to create a work
Maine’s infamous Democrat Senate hopeful, who sexted up to 12 chicks, has a new competitor – Republican JD Vance. The vice president has a dozen chicks too – but not Graham Platner’s brand. The vice president has added a chicken coop to his residence at the U.S. Naval Observatory, along with a dozen baby chicks
LEWISTON, Maine – Just weeks after Lewiston property owners received revaluation notices, residents are now being warned of another increase hitting their wallets: higher water and sewer rates. According to a public hearing notice issued by the City of Lewiston Water Division, the city is seeking approval from the Maine Public Utilities Commission for revised
AUGUSTA, Maine – Republican lawmakers are sharply criticizing the Mills administration after Maine Department of Transportation Commissioner Dale Doughty informed Gov. Janet Mills that the state may need to cut roughly $400 million in road and bridge projects over the next three years, a move Republicans say exposes years of poor budgeting and misplaced priorities
Since 2022, independent voters in Maine have had the ability to participate in a political party’s primary election for congressional and state offices. Voters who have formalized their political affiliation are only permitted to cast a ballot selecting candidates for their own political party. Maine is one of ten states to make use of this
President Donald Trump renewed his endorsement of former Governor Paul LePage for congress on Monday, just one day ahead of the primary, and strangely predicted a Democratic primary victory from former state auditor Matt Dunlap, despite him polling behind frontrunner Sen. Joe Baldacci (D-Penobscot). [RELATED: Formerly Moderate Democrat Congressional Candidate Matt Dunlap Stands By Platner
Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) joined Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine) and all but one Democrat in voting to pass yet another Ukraine aid package, despite her repeated complaints about Iran War spending. [RELATED: Bellows, Warren and Pingree Stand by Graham Platner as New York Times Report Raises Further Questions About His Treatment of Women…] “Given the
AUGUSTA, Maine – As Maine’s June 9 primary comes to a close, campaign signs have once again become a familiar part of the political landscape. They are posted along roadsides, clustered at intersections, planted in front yards, and lined up near polling locations. For voters, the signs can feel like little more than political wallpaper.
A pair of socialist candidate recruiters had their eyes on an alternative to Graham Platner when they began looking for a good suspect to run against five-term U.S. GOP Sen. Susan Collins. Yale Law School grad Daniel Moraff and his fiancé, Leanne Fan, an academic with stints at Harvard and the proudly radical University of
NEWRY, Maine – U.S. Sen. Susan Collins addressed the Veterans of Foreign Wars Department of Maine’s 105th State Convention in Newry on Saturday, praising Maine veterans for their service in uniform and their continued work in communities across the state. More than 100 people attended this year’s convention, including members and leaders of the VFW
PORTLAND, Maine — Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner delivered a combative and deeply anti-establishment speech Sunday evening at the Elks Club in Portland, lashing out at President Donald Trump, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Senator Susan Collins, Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and what he described as a political system dominated by billionaires, corporations, and defense
In this episode of the Pastor’s Office Podcast, Travis sits down with elder and ministry leader Jordan Cross (Chief of Staff, Great Commission Ministries) to tackle one of the most urgent problems facing the modern church: the rise of consumer Christianity, church shopping, and a generation that’s deeply resistant to spiritual authority. Jordan opens up
Bernie Sanders is afraid Graham Platner may about to be toast. That’s why he posted a lengthy hail-mary tweet over the weekend. Embattled Graham Platner, wounded by yet another allegation of questionable behavior, avowed he’s not being pressured to drop out. “We’re going to win this thing,” the presumptive party’s nominee told Maine Public Broadcasting
Maine’s Sen. Susan Collins was among the four Republicans to vote against a proposal to attach a version of the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act to a $70 billion funding package for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol (CBP). Later in the day Friday, the Senate voted 52-47 in support of
By Jon Fetherston There was a time in American politics when character mattered. Not perfection. Not ideological purity. Not whether someone made mistakes in life. Americans have always believed in redemption. But voters also once believed there were certain lines that could not be crossed by people seeking high office. Today, apparently, even those lines
OLD Orchard Beach, Maine – Republican firebrand and Ohio Congressman Jim Jordan traveled to Old Orchard Beach on Friday to throw his support behind former Maine Governor Paul LePage as LePage ramps up his campaign for Maine’s Second Congressional District seat. The event, held at Dunegrass Country Club, drew Republican activists, donors, and supporters eager
LEWISTON, Maine – A former Lewiston city councilor is facing growing criticism after a local educator was temporarily placed on administrative leave following the circulation of what critics say was a misleadingly edited video clip from a recent community forum on gun violence. Former Councilor Safiya Khalid publicly posted accusations against the educator after the
On the morning of Tuesday, June 2 — exactly one week before the June 9 primary, and with in-person absentee voting underway across the state — Maine’s Central Voter Registry experienced an unannounced and surprise update. In several towns, the work spilled into the start of the voting day. In Scarborough, three voters who arrived
The Maine Department of Transportation (MDOT) is planning to cut up to $400 million worth of construction and upgrade projects from its agenda amid massive transportation budget problems, according to a new memo obtained by the Bangor Daily News. [RELATED: Maine Faces $949.2 Million Budget Shortfall for 2026-2027…] “MaineDOT plans and delivers projects years in
A new internal poll conducted on behalf of the Pine Tree Results PAC, working to elect Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), found the incumbent tied with Graham Platner after recent polling has shown the Democratic challenger leading. [RELATED: Platner Attempts to Shore-up Campaign With New Statement Touting Fundraising and Highlighting Internal Poll Maintaining Lead Over Collins…]
Platner pooh-poohs explosive rumors, while mother-in-law brands sexting allegations as “bulls*it.” Maine’s presumptive Democrat U.S. Senate candidate has assured national party leaders the worst about his past has come out, a new report says. But when a liberal U.S. senator stalwart backing his candidacy clarifies the difference between marital problems and rape, that may indicate
PORTLAND, Maine – Prominent Democratic leaders Shenna Bellows, U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Hannah Pingree have publicly embraced Graham Platner as a trusted ally, a champion for working families and the kind of leader Maine needs in Washington. Their endorsements came after Platner’s offensive Reddit history and Nazi-associated tattoo had already become public. Then the
Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine) was one of just four Democrats to vote in favor of a bill aimed at cracking down on childcare fraud perpetrated through the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG). [RELATED: YouTuber Nick Shirley Exposes Alleged Somali Daycare Center Which Reportedly Reaped $4,000,000 From Taxpayers…] The house passed the bill 217-207,
Bangor’s controversial pride flag rainbow crosswalk cost taxpayers $2,590 even before it was repainted after drivers left skid marks on it. [RELATED: Bangor Public Works Paints Pride Crosswalk Using City Resources…] Bangor Public Works sent employees to paint the crosswalk on May 27, prompting social media comments suggesting that the politically motivated project caused traffic
AUGUSTA, Maine – Republican gubernatorial candidate Garrett Mason held a press conference Wednesday at the Maine State House, unveiling what he described as the early framework for the first budget of a future Mason administration while sharply criticizing the rapid growth of state spending under Gov. Janet Mills. Speaking at the Legislative Welcome Center in
LEWISTON, Maine – Republican candidate for governor Ben Midgley held a press conference Wednesday at Val’s Drive-In in Lewiston, where he pushed back against criticism from Democratic gubernatorial candidate Dr. Nirav Shah and outlined his vision for rebuilding Maine’s economy. Speaking before supporters and members of the media, Midgley accused Shah of dismissing his economic
Graham Platner’s campaign issued a damage control memo on Wednesday, bragging about his fundraising numbers and a new internal poll showing him maintaining a reduced lead over Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) amid his new cheating and sexting scandal. [RELATED: Staff Departures, Sex Scandals, Nazi Tattoo and Vulgar Reddit Posts Leave Graham Platner Campaign Looking Like
Two Navy veterans have raised questions about the veracity of Maine gubernatorial candidate Bobby Charles’ military record and sharply criticized his decision to wear a military uniform on Memorial Day. Claude Berube, a retired Navy Reserve commander, expressed concerns about Charles’ claims regarding his military service in the aftermath of September 11 attacks. “After 9/11
LEWISTON, Maine – The Lewiston City Council voted Tuesday night to formally censure Ward 3 Councilor Scott Harriman for what council leadership described as escalating unprofessional conduct during official city meetings, marking the third censure against Harriman during his time in office. The resolution accused Harriman of interrupting fellow councilors, disregarding council rules, and allegedly
BUCKSPORT, Maine – A proposal to begin Bucksport Town Council meetings with the Pledge of Allegiance has sparked debate among local officials and residents, with supporters calling it a traditional expression of patriotism and opponents warning it could inject unnecessary division into municipal government. The issue came before the town’s regulatory review committee on May
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) celebrated the early completion and delivery of an Arleigh Burke-class naval destroyer on Tuesday after the delivery was announced by the U.S. Navy. [RELATED: Bath Iron Works Secures Contract to Construct New Navy Destroyer…] “@USNavy has accepted delivery of the future USS Patrick Gallagher from Bath Iron Works more than two
Maine’s embattled presumptive Democrat nominee for U.S. Senate discussed buying cocaine in Reddit posts and admitted drug use while backpacking during paid military leave, Washington Free Beacon reports. Graham Platner, in since-deleted posts from 2020, recalled his travels through Europe just before leaving the Marine Corps in 2008. “I was making a pretty penny doing
Ranked choice voting is set to be used for the upcoming June 9 primary election for which a number of key races will be on the ballot. Although ranked choice voting has proven to be a point of significant controversy since its initial implementation several years ago, it is nonetheless the system in place for
Longshot Democratic Senate candidate David Costello renewed his calls for Graham Platner to debate him just one week out from the Democratic primary after a new cheating scandal was added to the mountain of bad press plaguing the candidate’s campaign. [RELATED: Platner, Costello Mum On Status Of Joint Bangor Anti-Collins Rally; Costello: ‘Don’t Ask Me,
Antisemitic Zohran Mamdani, NYC’s first Muslim mayor, skips Israel Day parade but attends May Day celebration of communism. Failed New York City mayoral candidate Andrew Cuomo, forced from the New York governorship by accusations of sexual assault, is blaming Democrat socialists for his political demise. Cuomo told conservative podcaster Bill O’Reilly that his father’s Democrat
SOUTH PORTLAND, Maine – With just eight days remaining before Maine’s June 9 Republican gubernatorial primary, candidate Jonathan Bush released his final television ad Monday, leaning into his outsider message and drawing a contrast with one of his Republican opponents. The ad, titled “Join Me,” will begin airing statewide on June 1, according to the
AUGUSTA, Maine — Republican gubernatorial candidate David Jones publicly ranked his full ranked-choice voting ballot Monday during a press conference with media and supporters, making him the only candidate in the race to do so publicly, according to his campaign. Jones began by addressing his own place on the ballot before speaking about each of
The formerly moderate Democratic congressional candidate Matt Dunlap reaffirmed his support for Graham Platner on Monday despite the new cheating scandal plaguing the presumptive Democratic Senate nominee. [RELATED: Staff Departures, Sex Scandals, Nazi Tattoo, and Vulgar Reddit Posts Leave Graham Platner Campaign Looking Like a Political Train Wreck…] “Do you still continue to support Graham
Although the upcoming primary election is scheduled for June 9, Mainers can already start casting their ballots. Up for a vote this cycle are several critical races, including for the governorship, as well as for one of Maine’s seats in the United States Congress and both of the state’s seats in the United States House
A parental rights group doubled down on its demand that Graham Platner be barred from school property across Maine after new revelations that Platner was sending sexually explicit messages to women on Kik, a chat site described as a “predator’s paradise” by the The Center on Sexual Exploitation. [RELATED: Maine Democratic Senate Candidate Graham Platner
AUGUSTA, Maine – The Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices has voted to open an investigation into an anonymous website targeting Republican gubernatorial candidate Ben Midgley, escalating a dispute inside the already heated GOP primary for governor. The commission voted Wednesday to investigate midgleyexposed.com, a website that attacked Midgley and included a disclaimer
By Timothy Reiniger As a former elected Chairperson of the Cape Elizabeth Town Council, I am pleased to support Jonathan Bush in the Republican primary to become the next Governor of Maine. My endorsement is grounded not in party loyalty but in a clear-eyed assessment of what Maine’s Medicaid (MaineCare) crisis demands — and in
A Miss Portland Diner customer shockingly found a surveillance camera in the eatery run by the top dog at Maine’s largest newspaper. Cheyenne Farrell says she found the cam hidden in the women’s bathroom, according to WGME-TV. Portland Police are investigating the creepy discovery in the diner owned by Stefanie Manning. Manning runs the diner
The founder of a nationwide organization combating gun violence called Sunday for Maine’s presumptive U.S. Senate Democrat candidate to leave the race. Shannon Watts, who founded Moms Demand Action, issued her statement after Graham Platner’s wife was seemingly forced into making a hostage video defending her husband’s alleged extramarital sexting. “I have incredible empathy for
What with the day-to-day embarrassing surprises afflicting Maine’s leading Democrat Senate candidate, Graham Platner could eventually decide to drop out, says a leading political ethicist. “Per Maine law, Platner can quit after he is nominated without providing a reason prior to 5 p.m. on the second Monday in July,” writes Henry Olsen on X. “The
PORTLAND, Maine – Just how well is Graham Platner’s campaign going? That question has become harder to ignore as the Democratic U.S. Senate candidate continues to face mounting scrutiny over a string of controversies, awkward campaign moments, and growing questions about whether his campaign is beginning to unravel. The latest issue came after Platner’s wife
A public dispute between former Obama adviser Jon Favreau and former Biden adviser Neera Tanden has exposed a deeper divide within Democratic circles over transparency, personal conduct, and electoral strategy. The disagreement began after revelations involving Graham Platner, a Democratic Senate candidate in Maine, came under fire amid reports that he and his wife had
WELLS, Maine – Conservative political activist Scott Presler visited Wells, Maine, on Saturday, May 30, 2026, as part of a grassroots pressure campaign urging the U.S. Senate to pass the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, commonly known as the SAVE Act. The “Pass the SAVE America Act” rally was held at 113 Sanford Road in
The wife of a U.S. Senate candidate from Maine who sent sex texts to a dozen women says they have “a great marriage.” Amy Gertner made a video Saturday for Democrat Graham Platner’s campaign showing her walking up and down a road in their town of Sullivan. “I wanted to make a statement about my
PORTLAND, Maine — In case you missed it, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner is not just having a bad week. He is having the kind of campaign meltdown that makes even seasoned political operatives reach for the exits. Platner, the progressive oyster farmer and military veteran trying to unseat U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, has
PORTLAND, Maine – Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner is facing fresh scrutiny after a sexually suggestive profile tied to him was discovered on Kik, a messaging application that anti-exploitation groups have described as a haven for online predators and child exploitation. The account, operating under the username “phustle0331,” appears to mirror usernames Platner has
A growing number of respected Democratic, Independent and Republican voices are publicly raising concerns about Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner as Democrats seek to unseat Republican Sen. Susan Collins in one of the nation’s most closely watched Senate races. The criticism has come not just from Republican opponents, but from figures who broadly identify with
Maine Wire editor-in-chief Steve Robinson says the sexy texts won’t amount to a hill of beans for the Democrat golden boy who can do no wrong in the eyes of his sycophants. The wife of the leading Democrat in the U.S. Senate primary found sexual texts to women on his phone, according to a report
Over 60 percent of Mainers have expressed concern over gas prices in the state, although there is a distinct divide based on political affiliation. According to the latest Pine Tree State Poll, a States of Opinion Project conducted by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center, the majority of Democrats and independents in Maine are
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Troy Jackson is receiving support from a PAC funded by a variety of out-of-state organizations and a foreign-born, Illinois-based stock-trading millionaire despite positioning himself as a “clean money” candidate opposing rich “oligarchs”. [RELATED: Bangor Hands Out $336k in Grants to “Food and Medicine” That Employed Troy Jackson And Campaigned for Liberal City
AUGUSTA, Maine — The Protect Girls Sports in Maine ballot question committee says more than 3,300 public comments submitted to the Secretary of State’s Office helped force revisions to the proposed wording of its 2026 citizen initiative. The committee called the total “historic,” saying it represents the highest number of public comments ever recorded for
Gov. Janet Mills (D) held an event at Westbrook High School earlier this week celebrating a new policy that was signed into law as part of the supplemental budget which bars students from having cell phones in public schools during the day. The statewide bell-to-bell ban represents a departure from the policy adopted by lawmakers
LEWISTON, Maine – Lewiston City Councilor and state Rep. Scott Harriman is facing a third formal censure by the City Council after allegedly interrupting a fellow councilor during a recent workshop and using obscene language during the exchange. The proposed resolution, requested for council consideration by Mayor Carl Sheline and Council President David Chittim, centers
AUBURN, Maine — U.S. Sen. Susan Collins (R) joined Auburn officials and first responders Thursday for the groundbreaking of the city’s new public safety building, a project she said will strengthen emergency services and provide police and fire personnel with the modern facilities they need to serve the community. The new facility will replace one
Republican gubernatorial frontrunner Bobby Charles admitted to receiving MaineCare benefits in a Facebook post on Thursday and reaffirmed that statement in the comments before correcting it and saying that he is actually on Medicare. Charles’s rapid-fire style on social media has successfully drawn attention from voters and has likely contributed to his consistent place at
According to a new Pine Tree State Poll, a States of Opinion Project conducted by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center, Graham Platner has a 73 percent favorability rating among likely voters in Maine’s Democratic primary. Incumbent Sen. Susan Collins (R), on the other hand, has a 65 percent favorability rating among those who
Bangor Public Works used city resources and taxpayer funds on Wednesday to paint a rainbow pride flag crosswalk on State Street. [RELATED: Bangor Hosts Massive Pride Event Featuring Demonstrators in Fetish Gear, Drag Queens, and Small Children…] The city did not announce the politically motivated initiative through any of its official social media accounts, but
By Jon Fetherston Shenna Bellows wants to be governor of Maine. That ambition carries a simple question: Why should Maine people trust her with even more power? Is it because she respects voters? Because she values fairness? Because she believes ordinary Mainers deserve a voice in the decisions that affect their families, schools and daughters?
By Neil Harper of the Maine Wire I drive into the Fighting Oligarchy Tour at Thompson’s Point featuring Bernie Sanders, Graham Platner, and Troy Jackson. I park next to a man in a truck I had seen before at a previous Graham rally. He’s eating a sandwich. Meat and mustard fall from his mouth into
Portland voters are being asked to weigh in on a $179.3 million school budget at the ballot box this June. As proposed, the school budget would carry a 5.68 percent school-side property tax increase, equating to a roughly $200 annual hike on a median-priced $566,600 home. Due to declining enrollment, the state subsidy received by
Secretary of State (SoS) Shenna Bellows decided on Tuesday to remove the referendum question to protect girls’ sports and spaces from November’s ballot after previously determining that it could appear, following challenges to the legitimacy of its signatures. [RELATED: Contentious Hearing Over Maine Girl Dads Ballot Initiative Puts Bellows’ Role Under Scrutiny…] “Citizen initiatives are
In the wake of an attack on him by Democrat Hannah Pingree, the GOP’s Bobby Charles is challenging her to a debate. “If you and Janet Mills can take a break from your Trump bashing, I’ll debate you, 2 on 1, any day of the week,” Charles told Pingree on Monday. Pingree over the weekend
Graham Platner is now taking incoming from his own party, including a congressman saying he’s disqualified due to his skin ink. In an interview with CNN on Monday, U.S. Rep. Jake Auchincloss, D-Massachusetts, said he finds Platner’s now-famous “Nazi” tattoo a race-ender. “I find that tattoo and his commentary about it to be personally disqualifying,”
PORTLAND, Maine – After a bruising week filled with controversy and growing scrutiny, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner appeared in Portland over Memorial Day weekend for a campaign rally alongside Bernie Sanders and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Troy Jackson. The event, billed as a major show of progressive momentum in Maine, often felt less like
SEARSMONT, Maine – Sen. Susan Collins joined residents in Searsmont on Memorial Day as the community gathered to honor members of the armed forces who gave their lives in service to the country, while also remembering the victims of the recent fire at Robbins Lumber. This year’s parade paid special tribute to local volunteer firefighter
Two peas in a pod, as they say. In one corner, U.S. Senate Democrat candidate Graham Platner, who once said some women invite rape. In the same corner, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-VT, who once publicly fantasized about rape. Platner invited Sanders on Sunday to headline a political rally for him in Bangor. “On our
The state’s leading northern-Maine paper’s annual report shows an anemic following – far behind The Maine Wire – despite an advantage in legacy and workforce size. Graham Pollard, who is The Maine Wire’s digital media editor, compared Bangor Daily News’ readership to the Wire’s. Pollard’s source for Bangor’s following comes from its so-called 2025-2026 “Impact
Hannah Pingree apparently just woke up and suddenly realized she’s about to lose the Democrat primary for governor. Pingree on Saturday came out smoking – but not against her Democrat opponents. No, she came out with a Facebook post attacking Bobby Charles, the leading GOP primary candidate. “This guy’s bigotry has no place in Maine
Janet Mills leaving her name on the ballot while pretending to quit the race is the oldest dirty trick in the world. Democrat Gov. Janet Mills is having her cake and eating it too. To wit, even though Mills claimed recently to be quitting her U.S. Senate primary bid, it’s just an act. Mills intentionally
BOSTON – Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner’s effort to turn a Boston Red Sox-themed political advertisement into a populist campaign moment took an unexpected turn Saturday, after Dave Portnoy, founder of Barstool Sports and a nationally recognized media personality with deep ties to New England sports culture, publicly questioned why Platner’s campaign believed he
Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, who couldn’t even manage a plate rollout, has announced her new political bedfellow – public-bathroom masturbator-in-chief Graham Platner. “So glad to have Graham on my team!” the Democrat gubernatorial hopeful says on Facebook. “Together we’re going to usher in a new chapter for a progressive and affordable Maine!” Notwithstanding
Troy Jackson, Hannah Pingree, and Secretary of State Shenna Bellows have formed an alliance in the Democratic gubernatorial race, vowing on Friday to rank each other as second and third choices in an apparent gambit to overturn frontrunner Nirav Shah if the race goes into ranked-choice voting. [RELATED: Democrat Drama: CD2 Candidates Team Up to
On June 3, 2026, the Maine Data Center Advisory Council, established via executive order by Gov. Janet Mills (D) earlier this year, will hold its first meeting. The council will continue to meet throughout the year before delivering a report to the governor and legislature at the end of January 2027. In April, Gov. Mills
The U.S. House scored a victory for parental rights on Wednesday, passing a bill to prevent schools from hiding gender transitions from parents despite opposition from Reps. Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) and Jared Golden (D-Maine). [RELATED: OCP Policy Director and Radical Leftist Running for Augusta School Board Previously Raised Funds for Abortion and “Gender Affirming Care”…]
A Maine church has filed a lawsuit against the federal government over alleged interference with members’ use of a hallucinogenic substance during its services. Pachamama Sanctuary argues in its lawsuit against the federal government that it uses ayahuasca tea during certain ceremonies. A South American ceremonial tea, ayahuasca contains DMT, a Schedule I controlled substance
WOOLWICH, Maine – A large pro-Trump sign that stood for years on a ledge overlooking Route 1 in Woolwich has been replaced with a new political message: DavidJones for Governor. The sign, visible to thousands of motorists traveling through the Midcoast community, had become a familiar landmark along the heavily traveled road. According to the
PORTLAND, Maine – A federal judge on Thursday dismissed the Trump administration’s lawsuit seeking Maine’s unredacted voter registration database, rejecting the Department of Justice’s argument that it needed sensitive voter information to determine whether the state was properly maintaining its voter rolls. Chief U.S. District Judge Lance Walker ruled that the federal government did not
The Maine Democrat Party reportedly canceled a Friday rally in Bangor set to feature Graham Platner and David Costello, the party’s remaining contenders for Senate. No reason was given for the apparent cancellation of the event aimed at faulting five-term GOP Sen. Susan Collins. The Maine Wire reached out to both campaigns for an explanation.
Platner’s campaign has been plagued by his derogatory comments about women. For Maine Democrat U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner, the seedier he gets the better he bests his GOP opponent. Of late he talked about masturbating in public bathrooms and now it’s complaining about taxing prostitution. Nonetheless the latest Pan Atlantic poll shows him beating
The New Pan Atlantic Research Omnibus Poll spelled bad news for Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), cemented Bobby Charles and Nirav Shah as their parties’ gubernatorial frontrunners, and showed strong support for the referendum question banning males from girls’ sports. [RELATED: Janet’s Late Pingree Endorsement Did No Favors For Hannah – Who Latest Polls Show Losing
SULLIVAN, Maine – A Maine parents’ advocacy organization is calling for Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner (D) to be banned from school properties across the state following resurfaced online posts and a growing list of controversies that have engulfed his campaign. In a media release issued Wednesday, Parents’ Rights in Education Maine and RSU
LEWISTON, Maine – In Maine politics, controversies that once might have ended political careers now seem to generate little more than a brief news cycle and a shrug. On one side is Lewiston City Councilor, School Committee member, and State Rep. Scott Harriman, who publicly admitted in 2024 that he had urinated in downtown alleys
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is investigating immigration fraud allegations against Somali-born Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) Vice President J.D. Vance announced on Tuesday in response to a Daily Caller reporter’s question. [RELATED: Trump Targets Ilhan Omar Over “$19B” Minnesota Fraud Claim and Singles Out Maine in Widening Crackdown…] “I don’t want to prejudge an
Three Democrats running for the Second Congressional District Seat banded together on Wednesday and penned a letter to frontrunner Joe Baldacci demanding that he disavow a new out-of-state left-wing super PAC donating to his campaign. [RELATED: Wood Gets Shafted: “Courageous” Democratic Candidate Responds After Party Endorses Baldacci Instead of Him…] “A super PAC calling itself
Nirav Shah shows a lead far beyond margin of error in five polls published May 19th by the New York Times. With early Democrat voting already under way in Maine’s gubernatorial primary the incumbent’s late endorsement of Hannah Pingree is of no consequential value. Judging by five polls posted May 19 by the NYT, nothing
BANGOR, Maine – Former Gov. Paul LePage joined Maine’s Morning News on WVOM Wednesday morning, telling host Ric Tyler that Maine’s welfare fraud problem is “even worse” than he previously believed. https://www.wvomfm.com/episode/rewind-05-20-paul-lepage-for-congress-945 LePage, a Republican candidate for Congress and one of Maine’s most consequential conservative political figures in recent history, served two terms as governor
LEWISTON, Maine — One week after Lewiston voters overwhelmingly rejected a proposed $129.71 million school budget, the Lewiston City Council moved forward Tuesday night with a series of major fiscal votes tied to the city’s Fiscal Year 2027 municipal budget. The May 19 meeting centered heavily on final appropriations, utility spending, special revenue funds, and
AUGUSTA, Maine – Gov. Janet Mills has ordered United States and State of Maine flags to be flown at half-staff on Thursday, May 21, and Friday, May 22, in honor of three fallen public servants. The flags will be lowered statewide from sunrise to sunset on the days of their respective memorial and funeral services.
SEARSMONT, Maine – State and federal investigators are continuing to treat the deadly fire and explosion at Robbins Lumber in Searsmont as an active and complex investigation, as crews work to safely clear debris from the damaged mill site. Maine State Fire Marshal Shawn Esler and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
Both of Maine’s delegates in the United States Senate, Sen. Susan Collins (R) and Sen. Angus King (I), have joined forces with a primarily Democratic group of lawmakers to advocate for the release of nearly $360 million in federal funding for weatherization assistance through the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP). The coalition is also calling for
SULLIVAN, Maine – Just when it seemed Graham Platner’s controversies had reached what some at The Maine Wire jokingly call a “Platner plateau” — the point where keeping track of the reasons voters are being told not to trust him becomes exhausting — another story dropped. And once again, the campaign of Maine’s presumptive Democratic
AUGUSTA, Maine – As Portland, Lewiston, and Bangor moved to restrict cooperation with federal immigration authorities, the political battle over immigration enforcement in Maine is rapidly escalating, with several Democratic gubernatorial candidates and some city elected officials openly criticizing ICE operations and aligning themselves with sanctuary-style policies that federal officials say undermine public safety. Federal
WATERVILLE, Maine – A Republican candidate for the Maine House says he was removed from an advisory role at a public technical school program after his campaign website listed his service on the committee, even though the information had reportedly been public for roughly seven months before anyone objected. Shawn Packard, a media professional and
Democrat U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner’s father paid for him and his wife to receive fertility treatments in Norway, according to a new report. When Platner and wife Amy Gertner did a campaign commercial six months ago saying they were going to Norway for affordable reproductive treatments, they never disclosed they weren’t paying for them.
Nirav Shah has just begun running a campaign commercial advising Maine residents to worry about a pandemic 7,000 miles away. The obvious question is what does this have to do with … Maine? The obvious answer is absolutely nothing. Maybe Shah is trying to bring attention to his wholly incompetent management of a pandemic in
The United States Senate confirmed Andrew B. Benson as the United States Attorney for the District of Maine and David St. Pierre as the U.S. Marshal for the District of Maine in a party-line vote Monday evening. These nominees were approved “en bloc” alongside 47 others, meaning that senators did not consider each candidate individually
Much of the discussion surrounding Graham Platner and his candidacy has focused on his Nazi tattoo, past controversial comments, fake blue-collar political outsider persona, and other personal controversies, allowing his truly radical left-wing platform to fade into the background. [RELATED: Platner’s “Average Man” Image Faces New Scrutiny as Campaign Finances Draw Attention…] Platner, running for
PORTLAND, Maine – The City of Portland has selected Stantec to lead the development of Portland in Motion, a comprehensive long-range transportation plan intended to guide how people and goods move through the city over the next two decades. The project will be led by Stantec’s Urban Mobility team in Boston, with local support from
The atmosphere at a youth ball game is usually a soundtrack of summer: the crack of the bat, the enthusiastic chants of the players, and the calming hum of the crowd enjoying their day off as the warm breeze blows the black flies away just enough to bearably watch the children play. But, when you
By Lisa Keim – Oxford County Commissioner, District 2 Like many of you, I look around Maine today and barely recognize parts of it. The change hasn’t been subtle—it’s been sweeping. And for many of us, it hasn’t just been economic or political; it’s been personal. The fallout from heavy-handed COVID mandates still lingers, leaving
“Help out, Mainers! What’s the BEST lobster roll for @VP? JD Vance wants to know where to get the best lobster roll.” That’s the challenge Rep. Laurel Libby, R-Auburn, posted Thursday on X looking for a good roll to feed Vice President Vance during his Maine visit. Some of the recommendations: √ “Bayley’s lobster pound
A new New Hampshire Journal poll of Republican voters in New Hampshire suggests Vice President JD Vance has emerged as the early frontrunner in the 2028 presidential race, reinforcing a broader national trend and challenging long-held assumptions about the Granite State’s political identity. According to a survey conducted by Praecones Analytica and reported by the
Just one day after Vice President JD Vance visited Maine and promised to crack down on the massive amount of fraud being exposed by The Maine Wire, the Small Business Administration (SBA) took a concrete step to end Covid-era loan fraud in the state. [RELATED: Mills Claims She’s Tough on Fraud In Response to Vance
Gov. Janet Mills (D-Maine) issued a response to Vice President JD Vance’s anti-fraud visit to Bangor on Thursday, claiming that she actually is tough on fraud, and deflecting away from the fraud issue onto the Iran War. [RELATED: Vance Brings Anti-Fraud Message to Bangor, Praises Maine Wire Reporting and Backs LePage Congressional Bid…] “As District
BANGOR — Vice President JD Vance came to Bangor Thursday with a blunt message for Maine: the fraud problem is real, Washington is now watching, and taxpayers should demand accountability from every level of government. Speaking before a crowd in Bangor, Vance focused heavily on welfare fraud, Medicaid abuse, identity theft, illegal immigration, and what
Vice President J.D. Vance took questions from Maine Wire reporters Jon Fetherston and Seamus Othot Thursday afternoon at his appearance in Bangor. Cheers erupted in the venue at Fetherston’s introduction at the start of the question-and-answer period, prompting the Vice President to remark that “we like this guy.” Fetherston asked Vance to give advice to
Show moreShow less BANGOR, Maine – Vice President JD Vance singled out The Maine Wire’s Jon Fetherston and Steve Robinson for recognition during his visit to Bangor on Thursday, praising their reporting on fraud before a large crowd gathered at Bangor International Airport. “We’ve also got some reporters from the Maine Wire, people who have
WASHINGTON – Vice President JD Vance announced a sweeping federal crackdown on Medicaid, Medicare, hospice and home health care fraud Wednesday, just hours before traveling to Maine, where he is expected to address fraud concerns during remarks at Bangor International Airport. Vance is scheduled to speak at 12:30 p.m. Thursday at the Bangor International Airport,
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Susan Collins pressed the heads of the FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration during a federal budget hearing over the continued spread of illegal marijuana grow houses in Maine, warning that the operations are often tied to money laundering, transnational crime, human trafficking concerns, and the destruction of badly needed housing.
Voters in Cumberland and North Yarmouth have sent a combined $56.7 million school budget to the ballot for validation in June. The budget was originally proposed in March with a price tag of $57.9 million, but the school district’s Board of Directors trimmed it down by 2.1 percent after receiving input from residents. Cut expenses
Vice President JD Vance, welcome to Maine. Thank you for coming! Thank you for acknowledging what too many elected officials, bureaucrats, and legacy media outlets have tried to ignore: Maine has a fraud problem, and it is not small. For years, taxpayers have been forced to fund a broken system while politically protected operators, questionable
LEWISTON, Maine – Lead Maine Founder and Executive Director Laurel Libby, a Republican state representative, hosted a ranked-choice voting forum Tuesday night aimed at helping Maine voters understand how to navigate the state’s complicated voting system ahead of the 2026 gubernatorial primary. More than 100 attendees took part in the forum, asking questions as speakers
AUGUSTA, Maine – A contentious public hearing began Tuesday over a challenge to the Maine Girl Dads ballot initiative, a citizen-led referendum effort that could appear before Maine voters in November 2026. The initiative, officially titled “An Act to Designate School Sports Participation and Facilities by Sex,” would require public schools to separate school sports
GORHAM — A growing controversy is unfolding in Gorham after absentee ballots for the June 9, 2026 school budget validation referendum were mailed to voters before the Gorham Town Council had even finalized or approved the budget amount appearing on the ballot. The issue surfaced Tuesday night after residents discovered absentee voters had already received
Rep. Reagan Paul (R-Winterport) sent a letter to Maine’s Department of Energy (DOE) Deputy Secretary James Danly on Monday, asking the department to examine and publish the true costs of Maine’s green energy push. [RELATED: Golden Joins Republicans in Vote to Ease Enviornmental Regulations to Promote Domestic Energy Production…] “The persistent claim that wind and
WASHINGTON – Multiple Maine airports will receive more than $13.6 million in federal funding for infrastructure improvements through the Federal Aviation Administration’s Fiscal Year 2026 Airport Improvement Program, U.S. Sen. Susan Collins announced. Collins, who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee, said the $13,647,939 in funding will support runway, apron, planning, and land-acquisition projects at airports
LEWISTON, Maine – Lewiston voters head to the polls Tuesday to decide the fate of a $129.71 million public school budget in a city already struggling with crime, shootings, litter and rising pressure on taxpayers. The referendum vote, scheduled for Tuesday, May 12, 2026, will determine whether the Lewiston Public Schools budget for the upcoming
BANGOR, Maine – The Maine Republican Party announced that Vice President J.D. Vance will travel to Bangor on Thursday to deliver remarks at Bangor International Airport, marking a high-profile visit to the state as the Trump administration sharpens its focus on government fraud and oversight. Details of the event remain limited. Party officials said only
Early voting for the upcoming June 9 primary election is set to begin on Monday, May 11, 2026. On the ballot this cycle are several critical races, including for the governorship, as well as for one of Maine’s seats in the United States Congress and both of the state’s seats in the United States House
AUGUSTA, Maine – Gerald Talbot, a major figure in Maine’s civil rights history and the first Black person ever elected to the Maine Legislature, died May 9, 2026. He was 94. Talbot leaves behind a legacy that reshaped Maine politics, civil rights advocacy, public education, and community leadership. Over the course of his life, he
LEWISTON, Maine – Republican gubernatorial candidate David Jones brought his campaign to Lewiston on Saturday for a community cleanup aimed at improving areas of the city that residents say have been overwhelmed by trash, needles, discarded debris and public safety concerns. Jones, who is seeking to become Maine’s next governor, joined volunteers for the cleanup
Bangor handed hundreds of thousands in federal grant money to Food and Medicine, a nonprofit where Democratic gubernatorial candidate Troy Jackson worked, that campaigned against the voter ID referendum and in favor of a convicted killer for the City Council. [RELATED: Killer Of Canadian Tourist In Old Orchard Beach Among Three New City Councilors In
PORTLAND, Maine – The 2026 Republican gubernatorial primary debate opened with two notable absences Thursday night, as CBS 13 moderator Greg Lagerquist said Robert Wessels did not meet the debate’s polling threshold and Bobby Charles qualified but chose not to attend. The candidates on stage were former Senate Majority Leader Garrett Mason, healthcare executive Jonathan
AUGUSTA, Maine – The Republican race for governor is heating up as the June 9 primary approaches, with Jonathan Bush, Ben Midgley and Garrett Mason trading fire with Bobby Charles over debates, records and who should face voters directly. Bush is challenging Charles to a one-on-one debate, arguing that Maine voters deserve to hear directly
SOUTH PORTLAND — In an unusual move in Maine’s Republican gubernatorial primary, Jonathan Bush announced that fellow GOP candidate Robert Wessels will serve as his Congressional District 2 Grassroots Chair, even as Wessels remains in the race for governor. The announcement came ahead of tonight’s WGME/BDN gubernatorial debate and before Wessels was set to hold
BANGOR, Maine — Collins for Senator released its first television advertisement of the 2026 campaign cycle, focusing on U.S. Sen. Susan Collins’ work to secure federal funding for the reconstruction of the Eastport Breakwater after its collapse in 2014. The ad features Chris Gardner, executive director of the Eastport Port Authority, who describes the impact
The Portland Press Herald actually thinks it’s in the news business. With a blaring headline Wednesday night the paper wrote: “Susan Collins discloses medical condition“ Talk about the obvious. The paper was so proud of itself it boasted that Collins “said in a statement to the Press Herald Wednesday evening” she has a tremor. The
The national GOP podcaster Tucker Carlson, who lives part-time in Maine, has seen his 2028 presidential odds rise recently. Carlson’s 2028 presidential election odds recently hit an all-time high on the prediction market platform Polymarket as he has teased a potential presidential run. As of May 1, Carlson reached 7 percent odds, with his chances
BANGOR, Maine – Republican gubernatorial candidate Bobby Charles pushed back forcefully against a Bangor Daily News report during an interview with Ric Tyler on Maine’s Morning News on WVOM, Thursday morning, accusing the paper of publishing a politically motivated “hit piece” as the 2026 Republican primary moves closer. Charles, who served from 2003 to 2005
As Graham Platner pivots towards a pitched battle against Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) after Gov. Janet Mills (D-Maine) dropped out of the race, he has worked to blame the incumbent for the Iran War despite her recent vote to end it. [RELATED: Collins Votes to End Iran War After Previous Vote to Allow It To
Do you understand ranked-choice voting? If not, LEAD Maine says you are not alone. LEWSITON, Maine – With Maine’s June 9 primary election approaching, LEAD Maine is planning a seminar next Tuesday, May 12 at 6:30 p.m. aimed at helping voters better understand the ranked-choice voting system that will be used in the upcoming primary.
PORTLAND, Maine – Republican candidates for governor squared off Tuesday night in a televised primary debate hosted by WMTW Maine’s Total Coverage, with anchor Jon Chrisos moderating the forum ahead of Maine’s June 9, 2026 Republican gubernatorial primary. The debate featured Jonathan Bush, David Jones, Garrett Mason, Owen McCarthy, Ben Midgley and Robert Wessels. One
The National Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) called Democratic Congressional Candidate Jordan Wood at 1:00 a.m. to inform him that they would be endorsing his primary opponent, Joe Baldacci. [RELATED: Dem Senate Candidate Jordan Wood’s “Courage” on Full Display as Staffer Bars Maine Wire Reporter from “Public” Town Hall…] “The DCCC called at 1am last
Invitation to Maine Democratic Party executive director comes in wake of dust-up over weekend convention press coverage The host of Maine Wire TV has extended a warm invitation to the executive director of the Maine Democratic Party to appear on the program, despite their political differences. Tom Shattuck, managing editor of The Maine Wire, said
LEWISTON, Maine — Lewiston taxpayers are expected to rally outside City Hall tonight as anger over the city’s first property revaluation in nearly four decades collides with a proposed $128 million school budget, rising public safety concerns, and growing frustration with City Hall leadership. The rally is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. at Lewiston City Hall,
AUGUSTA, Maine – Former Republican gubernatorial candidate and current state senator James Libby has endorsed fellow Republican Jonathan Bush in the race for governor, offering a strong show of support as the GOP primary field continues to take shape. Libby, who previously sought the governorship himself, said in a statement that his perspective on the
LEWISTON, Maine – Republican gubernatorial candidate David Jones will be in Lewiston on Saturday for a volunteer cleanup event aimed at addressing visible trash and debris in the city. Jones’ campaign is partnering with The Rubbish Doctor, a Lewiston-based junk removal company, for what he described as a voluntary community cleanup effort. The Town Farm
Barney Frank, reprimanded as a congressman after hiring and then living with a male prostitute, now is giving Democrats advice? A terminally-ill formerly sanctioned Massachusetts congressman and first openly-gay federal lawmaker is now scolding fellow Maine liberals for picking the wrong U.S. Senate candidate. “I am concerned that some of my party have chosen the
As of May 1, most employees in Maine are eligible to take up to twelve weeks of paid leave to care for a sick family member, as well as to bond with a newborn baby or newly adopted child. Also eligible for leave under the program are those who are experiencing a serious health condition
By Neil Harper I was walking off a small ceremony shoot on a beach in Wells, Maine, photographing a young bride and groom eager to begin their lives together. And as soon as they were out of sight, I began to dart— I hurtled myself toward that parking lot, throwing myself into my car.Camera landing
Portland, Maine – Graham Platner has built his U.S. Senate campaign around the image of an average Maine working man. But that carefully crafted message is now facing new scrutiny, as questions surrounding Platner’s background, online history, and campaign finances continue to pile up. Platner, who has leaned heavily into his identity as an oyster
Conservative businessman and Maine gubernatorial candidate Jonathan Bush tells Breitbart News the GOP has a “much better chance”of holding its U.S. Senate seat against Democrat Graham Platner than vs. Janet Mills. “He’s a silly boy,” Bush said in a Saturday interview with Breitbart. “He went to private school, and got kicked out of Hotchkiss, so
As reported in the Robinson Report Republican Robert “Bobby” Charles holds a nearly 40-point lead over his closest competitors in Maine’s June 9th GOP gubernatorial primary, according to a Charles’ campaign internal strategy memo prepared by McLaughlin & Associates and provided to The Robinson Report. “Bobby Charles holds a commanding 36-point lead on the first-choice
AUBURN, Maine — Republican gubernatorial candidate Jonathan Bush spent a busy Saturday on the campaign trail in Auburn, drawing supporters to back-to-back stops that underscored what his campaign says is growing grassroots momentum. Bush began the morning with a breakfast stop at Rolly’s Diner, where supporters gathered for pancakes and conversation before heading to a
NEW YORK – U.S. Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) took aim at Maine Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner during an appearance on Saturday in America with Kayleigh McEnany, arguing that Platner represents what Kennedy described as the far-left faction now driving the Democratic Party. Kennedy said the Democratic Party is increasingly controlled by what he
The top jock on the Boston waves who’s made a career out of humiliating then-Massachusetts U.S. Rep. Barney Frank now says Frank got one close to right, literally. “You know Democrats have lost the plot when even Barney Frank is saying his party has ‘embraced an agenda that goes beyond what is politically acceptable,’” Carr
“Welcome thy stranger.” “Love thy neighbor.” Those are the words Maine Democrats like to repeat, until the person asking questions works for The Maine Wire. That is the reality of Maine politics in 2026. This reporter has been removed from or blocked at so many Democratic events that it has become difficult to keep count.
Owen McCarthy, the health-tech entrepreneur seeking the Republican nomination for governor, took his first swing at television this week with a 30-second “Shark Tank” parody titled “Lobster Tank” that recasts the people of Maine as the panel of investors and McCarthy himself as the candidate making the pitch. The ad will come with a “six-figure”
Angus King III proved during the first key statewide Democrat primary pivotal televised debate he doesn’t have Daddy’s killer instincts. Unfortunately the younger King needed a moment – one that could have reaped him huge headlines as well as proving he’s no Mama’s boy but as smart as Daddy, he being U.S. Sen. Angus King
A foster child who was ripped from her mother and nearly later died of addiction is applauding a Republican state senator livid with Democrats for abandoning Maine’s most needy youngsters. Sen. Jeff Timberlake, R-Androscoggin, the Senate Republican lead on the Legislature’s Government Oversight Committee, earlier this week held Democrats accountable for blocking legislative overnight of
PORTLAND, Maine – The five Democrats running for governor took the debate stage Thursday night in a statewide “Commitment 2026” debate broadcast by WMTW, WABI, and WAGM, making their pitch to Maine voters as they try to keep the Blaine House blue after Gov. Janet Mills (D) leaves office. The debate was moderated by WMTW’s
After Portland Press Herald writer Steve Collins admitted earlier this week he had lied about fellow Democrat Janet Mills, he’s got gall complaining about The Maine Wire. Collins in his latest creative-writing exercise calls the news outlet beating him like a drum “the state’s leading farm of racist and discriminatory content.” At least it has
Not sure Graham Platner meant to say what he did by trying to praise Janet Mills as she exited stage left. “We both got into this race because we knew how critical defeating Susan Collins is,” Platner said in his campaign statement. “And her decision today reflects that commitment.” So it’s thank you Janet for
PORTLAND, Maine – A dispute over next week’s WGME-TV Republican gubernatorial debate is intensifying after candidate Robert Wessels said he was excluded from the stage, prompting fellow Republican Ben Midgley to call for his inclusion and candidate Bobby Charles to announce he will boycott the event. Wessels accused the Portland-based station of sidelining his campaign
Outgoing Maine Gov. Janet Mills, who threw in the towel Thursday on her U.S. Senate dream, is looking for a sale on, aptly, towels. To wit, Janet said in her withdrawal statement she’s going to Reny’s. “While I am suspending active campaigning, I look forward to seeing you at a Reny’s,” Mills posted on her
AUGUSTA, Maine – Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner issued a statement Thursday praising Gov. Janet Mills’ public service and signaling his intention to unify Democrats following her decision to suspend her campaign for U.S. Senate. In a written statement released shortly after Mills announced she was stepping aside from the race due to financial
Gov. Janet Mills established a new “Maine Data Center Advisory Council” with an executive order on Friday following backlash from her own party over her decision to veto a controversial moratorium on data center construction. [RELATED: Maine Lawmakers Uphold Mills’ Surprise Veto of AI Datacenter Moratorium…] “It is necessary, important and urgent that the State
The Maine governor’s political bedfellow over at the state’s largest paper just stuck a shiv in his good pal. Columnist Steve Collins, despite showering praise on Janet Mills as “courageous and compassionate,” offers his own albeit late confessional on what he really thinks of the woman who just quit her Senate campaign. Or more accurately
AUGUSTA, Maine— State Rep. Deqa Dhalac’s time in Augusta politics is effectively winding down, but the questions surrounding her past ties to Gateway Community Services are not going away. Wednesday marked the final day of regular State House business for the South Portland Democrat, who announced earlier this year that she would not seek reelection.
With their dehumanizing rhetoric and soft-on-crime policies, progressives create permission structures that excuse crime and violence, remove accountability, and blur the distinction between right and wrong. As if that weren’t enough, in New York they have also created powerful disincentives for good citizens to protect themselves or others from crime.
The Russia collusion hoax was anchored to two central claims: first, that Trump was a compromised agent of Russia, and second, that Russia interfered in the 2016 election to help Trump. The first claim was completely debunked after years of investigation. It is on the second and far more plausible claim—which was just as key to the hoax—that the newly released documents shed new light. And the revelations are shocking.
My guess is almost none of the 77.3 million Trump voters attended a “No King” protest. Trump won the election with broad support, winning 86% of the country’s 2676 counties, 31 states, and the popular vote. Under the rules of the “National Popular Vote Compact”, he...
Americans deserve a safe and secure election process, and they are losing confidence in our system. Headlines from Rasmussen polling such as, “A majority of voters suspect recent elections have been affected by cheating” and “More than 20% of voters who usedmail-in...
Does the Democrat party merit broad public confidence? After failing timely acknowledgement of physical and mental deterioration of its Presidential standard-bearer and obvious lack of preparedness for prompt and credible succession, how can it best restore public...
The DOGE investigation in progress is revealing how devalued the concept of American citizenship has become. Over the past four years, about 4-million foreigners admitted to the United States as residents became gratuitous participating beneficiaries of established...
More Americans are beginning to understand the reasons for electing a Presidential agent of big-picture change rather than one perpetuating a stagnating status quo. International mobility and trade have skewed economic dependency and shifted our leadership stage from...
Nearly all federal government policy decisions involve issues of perceived popular fairness. Whether it’s the question of transgender competition in women’s athletics or financial reparations for perceived past injustices, the fairness remedy must be judged in the...
Observers who lauded Elon Musk for addressing a perceived environmental threat by pioneering Tesla electric vehicles to mitigate climate change now castigate him for voluntarily conducting a forensic audit of government financial management. “Follow the money”...
It’s a sad commentary on the state of American democracy when broad public support for investigation of the causes of growing budget imbalances and escalating national indebtedness is thwarted. Two established parties claiming to favor fiscal prudence and balanced...
Is Governor Janet Mills the de facto Joe Biden of Maine - an elected leader more by reason of party-line fealty than noteworthy executive accomplishment? As our state experiences deleterious side effects of supposed societal advances like offshore wind turbines,...
Adult Americans of all political persuasions should be appalled at DOGE investigation findings of years of government incompetence and irresponsibility in federal financial management. Overdue independent, in-depth questioning of why the national debt burden has...
It appears that some portion of our citizenry approves granting of that status to newcomers of all backgrounds and persuasions who enter the country illegally. That group includes expectant mothers of foreign descent who happen to ‘drive in’ to a hospital immediately...
American political decorum has reached a deplorable new level as elements disappointed by the 2024 election outcome resort to illegal, intemperate and incendiary measures to express their outrage about overdue efforts to disclose questionable government financial...
Is one of America’s political parties succumbing to “mobster” infiltration? Street demonstrations against a popularly elected government, personal assassination threats to leading officials, and contrived propaganda concerning policy motivation and direction are not...
The daily volume of regular and e-mail continues months after the 2024 election. I must wonder whether extraordinary production and messaging costs of reaching me are indicative of the political and social causes they strive to promote. Four tote bags and multiple...
What was she thinking? Could she have been thinking at all? One spontaneous, reflexive, thoughtless, flippant five-word remark to the President by our partisan Governor in a Washington crowd of state leadership peers, “We’ll see you in court”, irresponsibly risks loss...
Why does the decision to avoid a government shutdown seem offensive to so many members of Congress? Could it be a desire to forestall intensive investigation and revelation of serious lack of judgment and oversight in determining specific applications of taxpayer...
All countries have trade imbalances, particularly smaller ones lacking a diversity of wealth-creating natural resources and production capabilities. As a result, tariff impositions are a common means of squaring accounts, so to speak, to protect their economies from...
Has Congress effectively ceded its Constitutional governance responsibilities to the courts? It seems as though every aggrieved party is now seeking judicial redress with every conceivable challenge to established law, however remote. Politicized court shopping at...
Does it make sense to gather, stand and wave in a wintry public place for a cause that offers no positive, uplifting message - only dissatisfaction with new government leadership? Is the prompt reality of “promises made, promises kept” a sudden surprise to those...
The Style of Presidential substance I sense that relatively few Americans really understand and appreciate the breadth and depth of successful leadership responsibility for very large and complex organizations. The stark contrast in commitment and style between our...
To what extent is Maine committed to extract from its movers and shakers to support a multitude of dependent takers? What would an independent, DOGE-like investigation reveal about our state’s budgetary prudence? Why wouldn’t a responsible Governor, treasurer and...
Have you noticed how few open-minded people you encounter these days when it comes to politicized issues? Is constructive dialogue going to be encouraged by waving derisive placards at passing motorists? Do such demonstrations prove anything other than personal desire...
Mainers outnumbered by voter registration are starting to come out of the closet in anticipation of the 2026 midterm election. In the context of a rising tide of federal revitalization and initiative and Democrat opposition in an obvious state of disarray, our state...
Why has Maine’s Governor chosen to draw national attention to our corner of the country over the issue of male participation in girls’ sports? What do we stand to gain from this folly? Is it helpful to be linked with the likes of radical Minnesota and California on an...
Does anyone recall seeing Senate minority leader Charles Schumer laugh or even smile lately? His new task is to give serious appearance to an unsettled party in disarray as to policy, protocol and procedure. Its shameful and deliberate disassociation from the rest of...
Why do disappointed Democrats continue to demean themselves by reflexively reacting negatively and obstreporously to any policy initiative taken by their successors?They refuse to take the easy path to immediate respectability by failing to support several...
The role of democratic government is to establish and maintain a society in which personal freedom is maintained within a collective context of well-being and individual opportunity. Public safety, economic sustainability, and moral consistency are the foundational...
Is the notion of transgenderism strictly a figment of the ‘advanced‘ human mind? Where are the animal species with evidence of other than male and female characteristics - horses, cattle, deer, dogs, cats, rabbits, skunks, mice and so on? Are some of us simply...
Would you say that Maine government is relatively low in visibility and transparency? Our population seems to have become accustomed to thinking of it as a caretaker and regulator rather than a potential instrument of adaptive and creative socio-economic change. How...
What should we think of the large numbers of disappointed Americans openly rooting for their newly installed government to fail, even though they cannot offer or hope to install a credible replacement slate? Can an agenda of constant blame and disparagement be the...
Trump has repeatedly said that his common-sense revolution would usher in a “new golden age.” In the context of unleashing the economy and technological innovation, we can understand this to mean literal gold. But a large part of our new golden age will be aggregated under the rubric of normality. The return of common sense is also the return of the normal. What would that look like in the realm of culture?
Defenders of the official narrative accuse those who ask such questions of being conspiracists. But until those questions are answered, our understanding of January 6—no matter our political leanings—will be incomplete.
On Inauguration Day 1,500 January 6 demonstrators were pardoned, and scores were released from prison. President Trump kept his promise to the 77 million who voted for him. It was the beginning of the end for another dark chapter in our country’s history.
It may become possible to restore constitutional government in place of the administrative or bureaucratic state that has almost overtaken it. That is the issue that matters the most. The worst evils stem from it. The strongest resistance guards its entrenchment.
Prior to this November’s elections many voter’s concerns were identified. Concerns include high property taxes, high taxes in general, drugs and crime, overdose deaths, lack of affordable housing, high electrical rates, a steep decline in Maine’s student’s standing,...
It’s the first line of our Constitution. But do we really know what it means? David Zuniga, author of the 2024 book, Now When We Rise, searched for years to discover the meaning of these 3 words handed down by our founding fathers as they created our U.S....
Are the hidden advantages to delayed and hasty presidential candidacy from cursory personal background investigation finally coming to light within a month of the national election?Can it be a total surprise that minimal vetting of millions of illegal immigrants has...
Should White House occupancy be based on meritorious individual accomplishment, party affiliation, or personality traits? In our “advanced” society, it was distressing last week to see a former President openly advocate for public ballot support to be based on race...
How many Mainers are reveling in their Governor’s insolent public condemnation of a President being as transparent as possible about his leadership intentions with respect to gender identity? Our state may be a geographic outlier, but it doesn’t need to be far out of...
Who is at Fault? Democrats delight in castigating decisive Donald Trump on grounds of personality rather than his noteworthy 2017-21 socioeconomic accomplishment, disrupted by a global health phenomenon.Based on subsequent circumstances, isn’t it appropriate to...
Have I had the wrong (male) perspective on the subject of mixed biological rivalry in athletic endeavors? Should we be sensitive to the personal shame and sense of inadequacy that must accompany a transgender athlete’s failure to win a women’s track competition? What...
The worst election outcome for our democratic republic is same-party control of the White House and both chambers of Congress.No president can wander too far from the centrist path of consensus under those circumstances. Theoretically, the smaller the respective...
Does “the land of the free and home of the brave” now also include the indoctrinated, deceived and misled? Whistleblower revelations of ABC News presidential debate misconduct in making sample questions available to one candidate in advance leaves an irrevocable black...
Trust us; you’ll like what you get! That’s the implicit campaign message from an incumbent political party in the throes of dramatic, unanticipated leadership change following a disappointing four-year term of governance.With less than two months until the 2024...
After four years of federal governance by an enfeebled President and a supporting cast largely comprised of DEI symbols, the new administration stands in clear contrast. It is more youthful, more energetic, more businesslike, more accessible, more delegating, more...
The last time Americans had a compelling cause for coalescence of spirit and effort was more than 80 years ago - the external threat and reality of World War II on two global battlefronts. The decisive end of that conflict with nuclear weaponry has since been a strong...
Is America’s “beacon of democracy” dimming toward darkness as other-world means of effecting leadership change become more threatening here?Could the established process of quadrennial election be replaced by prompt and permanent elimination of those occupying or...
A political party desperate to regain relevance after a massive change in its election support has reintroduced its backward-looking notion of financial reparations for living descendants of slaves. This blatantly discriminatory suggestion is devilish in two major...
Kamala Harris is demonstrably unfit to be installed as our national leader. She is neither exceptionally intelligent nor quick-witted and continues to expose her unworthiness to accede to the presidency by party fiat rather than traditional election campaign vetting...
Can Kamala Harris learn to be her own person at age 60?If not, can she use a discreet earphone so the unseen handlers can provide immediate guidance during potential public appearances and media questioning exposure? After gaining her party’s nomination by hastily...
The contrived backlash to “DOGE” revelations about indiscriminate government spending on various non-essential and special-interest causes becomes more embarrassing as the list of difficult-to-defend expenditures lengthens. Americans of all political persuasions...
It's not a good sign when the first proposal from a Presidential candidate is to institute selective mandatory price controls on essential consumer items.Anyone with a sense of basic economics recognizes that widespread inflation is a consequence of government fiscal...
It is astonishing that America, the model of republican democracy and free enterprise, could become a threatening symbol of potential dictatorial government.The opening election-campaign price-control balloon from a hastily reconstituted incumbent regime does not...
Former Republican President Donald Trump won a massive victory over Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday in quadrennial mock elections held throughout Maine’s public high schools. The exercise in American civics is only for educational purposes, of course, but the winner of the mock elections has historically stood a very good chance of winning the
Given a glimpse of early Harris-Walz policy thinking, we must wonder whether their presumed grounding in basic economics occurred in North America.Political desperation is evident in trial-balloon pronouncements to follow targeted Biden student-loan forgiveness with...
Is it too much to expect politicians accustomed to profligate campaign spending of supporters’ voluntary contributions to change the post-election temptation of access to massive resources of other people’s’ money by taxation? Recent widening exposure of past...
Like it or not, Jews have made important contributions to the American way of life over the past century.They have proven to be shrewd, resourceful, motivated, adaptable, successful in business and professional endeavors, and personally philanthropic.In that light of...
Should we be more inclined to support an experienced Presidential candidate willing to talk off the cuff at length and in detail on virtually any subject - or an opponent who either is evasive or relies on repetition of carefully scripted teleprompter messaging in...
Demographic characteristics such as gender, age, and educational attainment appear to be strong predictors of how Mainers will vote this November, with older, more highly-educated women leaning Democratic and younger, less highly-educated men leaning Republican. District 1 voters in southern Maine also appear to be more likely to vote for Democratic candidates than their counterparts
How many Mainers would admit to any shortcomings in ability to think for themselves politically? Do you read more than one publication or scan more than one television channel? Have too many of us become intimidated about debating the policies and regulations that...
Perhaps the most threatening aspect of our current election campaigns is an outing of the extent to which close historical affinity between the United States and Israel is being subverted by open Islamic interference.This troubling situation raises the question of...
Which Presidential candidate is devoting very substantial personal funds to the campaign budget - and simultaneously supporting legal defenses against multiple contrived courtroom attempts to derail it?Are this committed individual and his running mate more worthy...
Concerns over the state of the economy loom large in Mainers’ minds, and there are significant partisan gaps when it comes to the state’s direction and approval of its elected officials, according to a new statewide survey. The Voice of Maine: Critical Insights on Maine Fall 2024 report, conducted by Digital Research, asked Mainers their
Is there reason to expect traditional party registration labels to remain indicative of the likely 2024 Presidential election outcome?The philosophical composition of both sides appears in the throes of demographic change that may cause revised allegiance of various...
America is Evolving In an increasingly evident sense, America no longer is functioning as the originally envisioned United States. People and companies are relocating from blue states to red and vice versa, based on observed governance, economic conditions, and...
Americans witnessed last week a remarkably well-produced political show orchestrated by artful and clever speechwriters lacking substantive reference material. They were afforded only a few days to apply a veneer of appeal to an ill-advised and prematurely exposed...
Has anyone noticed that none of the trial-ballooned policy notions floated by staff surrogates for presidential aspirant Harris has gained any traction?This finger-in-the-wind approach enables the candidate to disclaim responsibility while signaling to backers a...
Is it better to have a government nominally led by a senile President but ostensibly operated by a group of unseen and unidentified supporters and bureaucrats - or one with highly visible elected officials assisted by credible outside advisers? Do the inevitable...
In the stress of a divided nation and troubled world, which type of “flip-flopper” makes the most desirable choice for president - one who reverses declared personal values without rationale, or one who can adapt from bullying to benevolent as circumstances dictate?...
How benign and humanistic is it to offer free voter training to recent illegal immigrants from about 180 countries, many of whom have limited English language skills and lack pertinent knowledge of American history and societal norms?Wouldn’t crash courses in...
Dear Faithful American Catholics, I am addressing all of you, a few days before the Presidential Election that will call millions of American citizens to the polls. in this election you must choose between two radically opposed ways of conceiving the government of...
Are we about to install as President a business executive with prior duly elected and positive experience in that highly visible role - or a former courtroom prosecutor atypically party-selected as running mate for a sitting President unexpectedly destined to be...
The stark reality of an overdue debate between presidential candidates was to expose the similar economic implications of each party’s approach.Their forward-looking aspirations are frustrated by the need to address increasingly evident consequences of a regrettable...
Is it all about the money for messaging?Do massive party bank accounts for media blitz promotion assure an election outcome, or do the thinking folks in communities around the country still have the collective influence envisioned by our founders? Has governance “of...
Have you noticed that one Presidential candidate responds at length and in detail to questioning about the array of serious issues threatening our country, while the opponent speaks in sound bites with little elaboration? If a four-year Vice Presidency is to serve as...
Americans are contemplating the possibility of electing the most joyful candidate in a history of 46 presidencies of a nation currently beset by internal divisiveness and hostile external forces. These times are not a laughing matter. They call for serious executive...
The Presidency demands informed and reasoned judgment on a wide and changing range of timely issues, currently more than 40 by my count. Shockingly few Americans have been exposed to academic leadership courses at any level, making it difficult for them to identify...
Maine’s civic health currently is strong, according to Maine’s first Civic Health Report from Colby College’s Goldfarb Center for Public Affairs, Public Engagement Partners, and the Maine Community Foundation. Released on October 23, this report showed that 70 percent of Mainers are hopeful about the state’s future, but suggested that “there are reasons to be concerned that this is
What does it say about leadership attributes when the incumbent Vice President-hoping-to-become-President elects to adopt and promote policy positions of her challenger previously derided as “extreme”?Is it any wonder that the public is wondering why party defections...
Our democratic republic is designed for and depends on the existence of multiple political viewpoints on an ever-present list of pressing issues. In present extraordinary circumstances, we must ask if the past four years of uninspired caretaker governance are leading...
Do legitimately registered American voters prefer governance by principle or rule by expediency? The current campaign experience is amusing, as the embedded side remains conversationally reclusive while trial-ballooning elements of the challengers’ clearly stated...
Is the American public so inherently gullible or politically conditioned that it won’t recognize a polling-dictated change in party election strategy? An endangered and reclusive candidate significantly characterized as too extreme counters by mentioning several...
To use one of her favorite speechmaking words, it’s become increasingly "clear" that Kamala Harris ranks among the least qualified persons ever to seek the United States presidency. An early indication was her hasty judgment to declare imposition of price controls as...
Can palliatives like “I want to be the President of all Americans” be a substitute for platform substance? Are we witnessing the embarrassing current irrelevance of a storied political party that utterly failed to anticipate credible generational succession?Even after...
Amid the buzz about one presidential candidate’s irresistible campaign barbs and the other’s reticence to speak publicly, the underlying judgmental concern should be their respective political resumes.The challenger can point to a record of prior accomplishment in the...
The Super Bowl of politics is nearly at hand.What are the odds that an untested rookie quarterback can maintain and motivate an offense accustomed to being led by a veteran predecessor unexpectedly sidelined by health issues?Can the former playbook remain...
Maine has always been a tough and proud state. Without Maine’s troops in the Civil War, the Union most likely would have been lost. Gettysburg alone has 15 monuments dedicated to our soldiers’ sacrifice and valor, from Captain Hall’s Second Maine Battery at the...
When the incumbent political party suddenly redirects its 2024 national campaign by espousing policies pursued by its now challenging predecessor, is that a tacit admission that the opponent’s position is eminently worthy?Is it effectively an endorsement of the proven...
As America concludes four years of stressful domestic governance in an environment of global unrest, the voting public is confronted with a clear Election Day Presidential choice. On the one hand is a prospective leader of demonstrated accomplishment and established...
Are Americans more likely to experience “hope and joy” under a highly visible, forthright leader - or a figurehead programmed by an unseen body of anonymous backroom handlers? What you see is usually what you get, and what we’re seeing so far is a poorly articulated...
The American public is gradually awakening to the yet incalculable cost of accommodating and problems of assimilating the influx of undocumented immigrants invited by the current administration.In addition to sheer numbers (estimates range upward from 10-million),...
I can think of about 40 current issues that might cause someone to vote for one presidential candidate over another. Imagine yourself in the shoes of that would-be leader. Which concerns get the attention of a clear majority of the American public?Which decisions are...
Forget all the pre-election political- party posturing. One fundamental question to be posed to both sides by a financially stressed public is “How is it possible to reconcile massive defunding of domestic police with ongoing levels of federal foreign aid to an untold...
Is it ostentatious and embarrassing for a long-established political party to seek continuance in high office when in obvious internal disarray? Aside from failure to assure election integrity for the protection of all citizens, should it be excused for deliberate...
There are three basic ways for a poorly informed presidential candidate to respond to an unexpected question about anticipated government policy.The least impressive is “Duh.” Another is to attempt evasive redirection of the inquiry to a different subject. The third...
If appropriate and consistent law enforcement is essential to the functioning of our democratic republic, does it make sense to elect a president with an extensive record of prosecutorial laxity?Is it a badge of honor to have overseen the administration of justice in...
Some Americans seem obsessed with the notion of electing a first-of-a-kind leader, perhaps without realizing that the result could be a trifecta. While gender and race are obvious considerations, how about the additional fact that the candidate does not appear to be...
Should we feel sorry for presidential candidate Harris because she has been callously used by her party to win the White House in 2020 and, because of subsequent deceit and misjudgment, now is propelled into a potential leadership role for which she is unqualified and...
Reticence and timidity are not leadership attributes, but self-confidence and communication skills are essential.Major decision-makers as to government policy and practice can never expect unanimous press or popular support when detractors are a permanent feature of a...
I am dismayed by the devastation of the beauty of Maine by solar farms.Our “Pine Tree State” is becoming the “Solar Farm State.”This source of energy is inefficient and toxic to the environment.It is also destroying the natural habitat of our wildlife. These panels...
What should we think of political parties that must rely on “low-information voters” who pay little or no attention to publicized election platforms? The real “threat to our democracy” is not the President, but same-party control of both chambers of Congress that can...
Has the notion of popularly elected national leadership become a fiction in America? Is the current election-year exercise really a sham? Should one party’s ill-considered presidential running mate decision of four years ago now portend shadow government for the next...
Growing revelations of seriously outdated voter registration rolls in states like Ohio and Texas expose what probably is the greatest risk to legitimacy of the forthcoming national election. All our political parties should at least be able to agree that the concept...
My father was a prisoner of war in WWII for 26 months. He saw a lot of awful things and experienced a lot of physical abuse. He never looked back in resentment or regret. He understood what he was there for. He was there to fight against the world being overrun by...
It is a lovely experience to travel back through time via publications like New England Town Meeting: 'Safeguard of Democracy' by John Gould. Similar to Mr. Gould, I enjoy engaging in our local democracy. These publications reenforce my pledge to advocate for the...
Well, we all knew it was going to happen. We can’t live in a country run by a political party that believes in equity over equality, and not experience ever increasing tax bills. Equity being a fair or just chance, without bias or favoritism. Meaning, no matter how...
Many people habitually vote for a political party, while others focus on the individual seeking to represent each side. Some merely follow their parents‘ example. Over recent decades, population growth, demographic changes, and differing personal circumstances have...
Aside from convenient talking points about gender and race, does it make any sense to install as President of a prominent world nation a person with no exposure to the domestic private sector, international community, or pertinent executive experience in any previous...
Is the voting public as dysfunctional as our more recent Congresses - or vice versa? A democratic republic implies that the expressed will of the people reflects common-sense review of timely concerns and sound collective judgment as to who and how best to address...
Unless the American public awakens quickly, its nation is on the verge of prospective transformational change. Our precedent-setting example for the rest of the world risks ideological subversion by carefully orchestrated subterfuge. Can an individual more defined by...
Does America still deserve to be called a civilized democratic republic worthy of international respect? Can two vigorously opposing political parties fail even to agree on a demonstrable need to mitigate criminality and associated drug dependency in an election year?...
Have I finally figured it out? Is the strategy of the incumbent party in power to lower the temperature of ideological tensions with other nations by reshaping America more in their autocratic images? Is the problematic California model of governance readily...
The word “weaponize” is in vogue nowadays amid strident controversy over the Second Amendment to the Constitution authorizing the citizenry to bear arms. Among other contexts, it even has been used to characterize the nine “top guns” of the Supreme Court judiciary....
Our civilization is comprised of ideologues and pragmatists, and it can be hard to distinguish which is which on different issues. The problem is complicated by overlays of competition and power between those seeking peaceful coexistence through diplomatic dialogue...
I don’t vote for leaders out of sympathy, rather for their vision, ideas and commitment. We must question why Kamala Harris would suddenly try to distance herself from policies and practices of a suddenly “obsolete” Biden-Harris regime. This strategy casts her in the...
Are we looking forward to potential governance by sophomoric platitudes rather than defensible policies? Superficially appealing declarations that “I want to be President of all Americans,” a pledge to mitigate troublesome inflation by imposing price controls, and...
Treason is defined as “the offense of attempting by overt acts to overthrow the government of the state to which the offender owes allegiance or to kill or personally injure the sovereign or his family.” Is there anything more treasonous than a deliberate political...
The faddish personal pronoun obsession is reaching new heights of absurdity. One political campaign’s current DEI-inspired employment application lists nine choices for selection, including xe/xem, ze/hir, ey/em, fae/faer and hu/hu. What? It further suggests...
A major party convention claimed to be energized by joy turned out to be a showcase for anger and hatred primarily directed not at the rival’s announced policy initiatives, but specifically at its high-visibility leader. A forum for serious discussion of practical...
Have the respective political leadership campaigns now fallen unwittingly into a “can you top this” mode that inevitably portends continued federal deficit spending? Given uninterrupted increases in national indebtedness over the past decade totaling 40%, the present...
How is it that politicians rabidly campaigning for “the way life should be” in an advanced American society can persist in absolutist views of abortion availability and indifference to religious doctrine and medical judgment. I see no one in either party questioning...
Should we expect governance by principled, trustworthy elected leaders with pertinent experience and detailed background on specific issues - or by ongoing public polling of constituents lacking in-depth knowledge of all aspects of each timely subject? The outcome...
It’s interesting to observe how many politicians’ declared core beliefs are alleged to “evolve” over time and somehow come into greater alignment with current public election polling. Are voters expected to believe in miraculous philosophical revelation or monumental...
The revered name “Secret Service” has taken on new meaning in the chaotic and largely obscured aftermath of a marginally unsuccessful assassination attempt on a 2024 Presidential candidate. Ongoing revelations of manpower shortages, procedural mistakes, and...
Perhaps the most unusual aspect of this year’s Presidential election campaign is that one candidate earned a ticket-leading role by prior performance in high office, while the other is essentially positioned by late-breaking default. That reality necessitates...
The coming quadrennial national election is all about the sourcing and distribution of money - how individuals earn it, what portion government takes, and toward what ends the remainder is devoted. The perpetual dilemma is balancing responsibility for meeting societal...
Would the political party in power recover more respect by adopting certain policies of the prior regime that obviously were more effective than its subsequent reversals? Wouldn’t tacit admission of an evident misjudgment on the prime issue of a porous Mexican border...
Have you noticed that one Presidential candidate responds at length and in detail to questioning about the array of serious issues threatening our country, while the opponent speaks in sound bites with little elaboration? If a four-year Vice Presidency is to serve as...
Have you noticed that the words ‘survey’ and ‘solicitation’ have become synonymous in this election campaign season? All those political mailings on behalf of both major parties asking for voter opinion always have an accompanying contribution form for use with check...
Is it all about the money for messaging? Do massive party bank accounts for media blitz promotion assure an election outcome, or do the thinking folks in communities around the country still have the collective influence envisioned by our founders? Has governance “of...
America and Americans are awash and drowning in debt. Each member of our 334-million population, including newborns, figuratively bears about $100,000 of that national obligation. They also have personal responsibility for state and local bonds, personal mortgages,...
Why do political candidates think it necessary to resort to derogatory terminology in characterizing their opponents? Isn’t it sufficient to highlight decisions made or actions taken that proved to be problematic? The accuser may well risk more by castigating a...
It’s disheartening to see the extent of Congressional support for the illogical notion that non-citizens should immediately become eligible to participate in the November federal election, regardless of their voting status as determined by the individual states. In...
Maine Yankee, an 840-megawatt nuclear plant went online in Wiscasset in 1972. The late 1960’s was the start of good times for Maine Yankee, Wiscasset, and the country. Wiscasset was thriving with low taxes, new businesses, a housing boom, and a dynamic and growing...
Whatever you may have thought about the predictably testy inter-party election jousting, it seems to have reached a stage of irrational and emotional lunacy. Contentions that an attempted assault-rifle assignation of a Presidential candidate that miraculously resulted...
Will the United States be destroyed prior to its 250th anniversary? Can White House candidate Kamala Harris be more than a puppet spokesperson for unseen political interests with far more experience and ideological motivation? How has her questionable prosecutorial...
For several weeks I have joined local residents with Trump rallies on the Wiscasset Bridge. It is a surprisingly upbeat and pleasant experience. Each Friday afternoon is an interesting 90-minute slice of Americana. Almost immediately, even as we assemble, we are...
Is the coming election about a person or a party? Should we focus on the spokesmen or the likely full cast of administrative characters on each side? Are the dominant issues (I count 42) all black and white in their simplicity? Will the voting public prefer...
It’s disheartening to see the extent of Congressional support for the illogical notion that non-citizens should immediately become eligible to participate in the November federal election, regardless of their voting status as determined by the individual states. In...
Our election focus every four years is centered on the Presidency. This time, age considerations force serious consideration of the qualifications of both candidates’ running mates as potential leadership successors. Voter scrutiny also should go well beyond that...
Should we be asking ourselves why anyone with good sense would want to be the next President of the United States? The overwhelming, multi-faceted disruptive effects of four years of open border alone will require enormous and expensive remedial actions to restore...
Has America had enough of diversity, equity and inclusion? Is the public and press ready to recast DEI in other terms? How about dedication, education and inspiration - or determination, enlightenment and imagination - or devotion, energy and intellect - or discovery,...
America's carefully promoted "brand identification" by the two long-established political parties has been "market tested" by transformative events and ideological actions over several recent federal administrations. Consistent labeling and marketing efforts by the...
Regardless of gender, race, color, ethnicity, education, avocation, location and persuasion, all citizens of voting age are equal at the ballot box in November. It is their opportunity to reset the course of government that has become obsessed with the power of...
The recent news is full of reports of fund-raising success for both presumed candidates for the U.S. Presidency in what promises to be record campaign spending. In the final reckoning, will it be “all about the money” or the substantive appeal of each party’s declared...
Does our basic Congressional, two-party political system actually serve to stifle creative policy innovation? Are that body’s two chambers so committed to achieving consistent solidarity and respectful of seniority that stimulative thinking from relative newcomers is...
Are we the people at risk of becoming a nation “of the wealthy, by the wealthy, for the wealthy?” The astounding cost of extended multi-media political campaigns, in which major-party war chests total in the hundreds of millions of dollars, begs a further question:...
Does political party loyalty trump national patriotism? Are we just bidin’ time until the courts or a popular election determine the composition and course of our society in lieu of Congressional gridlock? Should the ability of non-citizens to cast ballots in November...
Should the next occupant of Washington’s White House be determined on the basis of personal likability or demonstrated policy leadership and implementation? Has the voting public noticed that some major ballyhooed initiatives of 2020 have yet to be implemented, like...
Election-year campaigning is full of talk about seductive federal programs appealing to certain targeted interest groups. This obvious pandering to buy votes includes over-the-top rhetoric and the assumption that an already problematic practice of unsustainable...
Over the past two decades, elected politicians responsible for the welfare of American citizens have committed us to providing and expanding welfare in some form to 203 foreign countries. The sources of funding have been a combination of taxation and borrowing, such...
The critical issue in the coming national election is extending well beyond the two controversial party standard-bearers for the Presidency. We must question the character and commitment of members of both supporting casts who fail to speak out independently about...
According to Mr. Biden’s own words, “the truth is, I’m the only President this century, this decade, that doesn’t have any troops dying anywhere in the world like he did.” Let me remind you of all who have died while in harm’s way under Mr. Biden’s watch: Abbey-Gate,...
Americans’ awareness of the societal shortcomings of “DEI” philosophy is becoming increasingly apparent. Positions of influence and authority are best filled by persons with knowledge, experience and communication skills for the role. As we approach a prospective...
The prospect of a fundamentally competitive ideological contest for the 2024 Presidency appears to be fading as preliminary appearances reflect more repetitive talking points than serious mutual articulation of policy proposals. Moreover, neither side has an assured...
Is the basic challenge for our form of democratic government to create a socioeconomic environment enabling citizen subjects to exploit opportunity - or to overcome adversity? The answer has to be both, based on self-reliance and motivation. “God helps those who help...
Import the Third World, become the Third World. That’s what we just saw.
The U.S. Election Infrastructure Has BeenCompromised Since at Least 2016; Dr. DouglasFrank Ph. D. Visits Maine to Explain HisResearch and Offer Solutions “You have the dirtiest voter rolls in the country…….The highest turnout of the dirtiest voter rolls.” Dr. Douglas...
Everyone in the Democratic party seems to scream, “We are losing our Democracy!” They connect Democracy with Democrat. This is far from truth on many levels. First, the United States is NOT a Democracy. It is a Constitutional Republic. What’s the difference, you ask?...
Is it possible for a government to survive after inflicting widespread punishment from open-border immigration on its established democratic citizenry? Can the social, economic, and emotional costs of uncontrolled invasion and dispersion of foreign persons with...