Adam Cote's Blog

While the balloons, confetti and tears of adulation from the election night hoopla have long been swept away, there’s still one race left to decide. Actually, there are four. Maine happens to be the only state in the union that has its state legislature choose its secretary of state, treasurer, auditor and attorney general. The new legislature will convene in a few days to decide who will fill these positions.

Electing Maine’s four constitutional officers is actually a two-step process. First, the Democrats and Republicans caucus to choose their respective nominees. Each candidate will likely be given an opportunity to plea their case before a vote by secret ballot is held. If no candidate receives a majority of votes, a runoff election is held until a nominee is chosen. Practically speaking, because the Democrats hold a sizable majority in the legislature, whoever emerges from the Democratic caucus as their parties’ nominee, will win.

The only race that’s garnered any attention thus far is the race for attorney general. The current AG, Steve Rowe, is term limited and therefore may not seek reelection. In Rowe’s absence, three Democratic candidates have stepped forward, Representatives John Brautigam (Portland), Sean Faircloth (Bangor) and Janet Mills (Farmington).

I attended my first political "house party" in 1994 when I was a senior in college. It was hosted by one of former U.S. Sen. George Mitchell's brothers for would-be Democratic gubernatorial candidate Joe Brennan (Brennan eventually lost the general election to Independent Angus King).  I was invited because I was a member of the Colby Democrats and the Brennan campaign was trying to recruit volunteers in the Waterville area.

I was interested in going because, up until that point, the closest contact I'd had to a political house party was eating lunch every Sunday at my uncle's house in Sanford; he was a local Selectman, hardly a mover and shaker in the political world, to say the least.

For more than 30 years, my dad has collected tickets at the back gate of Cobb Stadium in Sanford before every home football game. He never misses a game. And for more than 30 years, Imelda Larouche never missed a game either.

Imelda graduated from Sanford High in 1976 and had severe physical and learning disabilities. But she was a huge Sanford High sports fan and attended all the home football, soccer, basketball, baseball and field hockey games. She was Sanford’s resident “Super Fan.” My Dad knew Imelda was on fixed income and although she always offered to pay for admission to the games, he never accepted her money.

Last winter Imelda was found dead in her apartment. She was living without heat and hot water.