Glenn Cummings

Following Thursday night’s debate between Democratic Vice Presidential candidate Joe Biden and Republican candidate Sarah Palin, PolitickerME.com contacted a Republican and a Democrat in the state for their response.

AUGUSTA -- State Reps. John Piotti (D-Unity) and Sharon Treat (D-Hallowell) will compete to be House majority leader next session, providing they win their re-election bids and the Democrats maintain control of the House.

Current Majority Leader Hannah Pingree is expected to become the next speaker, as no challengers have emerged. Current Assistant Majority Leader Sean Faircloth (D-Bangor) is not running for re-election, hoping legislators will elect him to be state Attorney General.

Reps. Seth Berry (D-Bowdoinham), Cynthia Dill (D-Cape Elizabeth) and Don Pilon (D-Saco) will compete for the assistant majority leader slot.

When it comes to leadership political action committees, two state senators have far more in their coffers than their colleagues.

Bill Diamond (D-Windham) had $31,722 in Diamond PAC, and Libby Mitchell (D-Vassalboro) had $19,657 in the Mitchell Leadership Fund, both as of the last filing period July 22.

Diamond said he will put the PAC money toward his re-election bid and community action programs such as Neighbors Helping Neighbors.

Maine House Speaker Glenn Cummings (D-Portland) said Democratic Vice Presidential nominee Joe Biden is already planning a trip to Maine.

Local supporters are fundraising for the event, which they hope will happen in late September or early October.

“If he hasn’t experienced Maine hospitality before, he’s about to,” Cummings said.

Cummings was one of the first people in Maine to support Barack Obama, endorsing him when he came to Portland in October 2007.

John McCain landed in Portland last night for his visit today. Channel 8 has video of his arrival.

McCain will attend several fundraisers in Kennebunkport, including a $2,300 per ticket event at the Bush compound.

Then he will visit the Maine Military Museum for a public event at 2:30 p.m. Doors open at 12:30.

Maine Democrats have already responded to McCain’s visit.

See also: McCain's state director to start Monday

Early last year, before “Obama-mania” became mainstream among Democrats, Maine House Speaker Glenn Cummings, D-Portland, got a signed copy of Barack Obama’s book, The Audacity of Hope, in the mail.

It was his chief of staff, Toby McGrath, who had arranged for the book to be sent, and Cummings credits him for leading him to the candidate who would become the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee.

McGrath started a new job last week as state director for the Obama campaign. McGrath has been volunteering for Obama since February of 2007.

(Photo: Toby McGrath (center), the new state director for Barack Obama's campaign, talks with Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean and state Sen. Peggy Rotundo in Lewiston Friday.)

Cross current state House Speaker Glenn Cummings off the list for potential 2010 gubernatorial candidates.

The University of Pennsylvania has accepted Cummings into its doctoral program for higher education. Once completed, Cummings said he would like to get a job as a president of a university or college.

Several Democratic legislators are eyeing leadership slots for the next term. PolitickerME hopes to find out who’s eyeing leadership slots on the Republican side this week.

Saturday morning at 10:30 state delegates will hear from surrogates for the presidential campaigns.

U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner, D-N.Y., will speak on behalf of Hillary Clinton.

Gwethyln Phillips, former chair of the Maine Democratic Party, and Maine House Speaker Glenn Cummings will divide the time dedicated to Barack Obama.

After his speech, Cummings is headed to Cairo, Egypt. The trip is sponsored by the National Council of State Legislatures, which is sending four or five members to talk with members of the Egyptian Parliament about improving government effectiveness using technology.

Today is the scheduled statutory adjournment date for the Legislature.

House Speaker Glenn Cummings thinks the Legislature can complete their work today, according to a note from staff. Senate staff, however, is not so sure, and anticipates finishing up tomorrow

PolitickerME asked six Democrats in the Legislature how they were feeling about the budget that passed. Responding in the video below: House Speaker Glenn Cummings, D-Portland; Senate President Beth Edmonds, D-Freeport; House Majority Leader Hannah Pingree, D-North Haven; Senate Majority Leader Libby Mitchell, D-Vassalboro; Sen. Bill Diamond, D-Windham; and Rep. Emily Cain, D-Orono, a member of the Appropriations Committee.

In addition, the Senate Majority Office has sent on this video of Sen. Peggy Rotundo’s floor speech. Rotundo, D-Lewiston, is the chairwoman of the Appropriations Committee.