Janet Mills

The biggest political event in Maine Friday night took place four hours from Augusta, in a community center with folding furniture crammed tightly together, potato sacks lining the walls, and high school beauty queens serving up salad and ice cream.

The Potato Festival’s Industry Dinner in Fort Fairfield was the place to be for the who’s who in Maine politics. To give some flavor of the event, below is a video of county resident Jeramiah Donovan singing about potato picking season.

Attorney General Steven Rowe’s 2010 gubernatorial campaign is slowly coming to life.

Rowe, D-Portland and a former Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives, has confirmed that www.rowe2010.com belongs to him, along with another URL. In addition, he’s drumming up support on Facebook – though his profile doesn’t say what he’s running for yet. He has 75 supporters.

Rowe said he definitely running for governor – but wants to wait until the end of the year, when his Attorney General’s term is up, to start campaigning.

Two ethics bills have recently advanced in the Maine Legislature.  read more »

Former independent gubernatorial candidate Barbara Merrill found a loophole in the Maine Clean Elections Act in 2006, when she paid her husband $109,000 in public funds to be her consultant.

It wasn’t illegal. That’s a problem, many testified today.

UPDATED Nov. 21, 6 PM, with more information from Mills.

UPDATED Nov. 21, 5 PM, with comments from Rep. John Brautigam

UPDATED Nov. 21, 3:45 PM, with comments from Rep. Janet Mills and Sen. Barry Hobbins

House Majority Whip Sean Faircloth, D-Bangor, will seek the Attorney General’s post when his current term is up, along with Rep. John Brautigam, D-Falmouth.

Rep. Janet Mills, D-Farmington, and Sen. Barry Hobbins, D-Saco, also said they will consider running.

According to an e-mail from Faircloth to colleagues, passed along by a reliable source:
“… You'll hear of others interested in my House seat. I want you to know from me: I won't seek re-election. I've made my choice. After two decades of service, the timing is right to serve as Attorney General.”

Faircloth said Wednesday that he had no comment on his decision at this time.

Representative Sean Faircloth, the House Majority Whip has let it be known to insiders that he will not be seeking re-election, but will become a candidate for Attorney General in 2008.

In his email to supporters, Rep. Faircloth made his intentions clear when he wrote, ".... I want you to know from me: I won't seek re-election. I've made my choice. After two decades of service, the timing is right to serve as Attorney General."