Joe Perry

This back and forth in the editorial pages is all very interesting for the 50 or so insiders that read it. Unfortunately for Tom, however, he's not running against Libby Mitchell for the State Senate.  He's going for a rematch against Sen. Joe Perry, the chair of the taxaxtion committee and Democrat, who took the seat from Sawyer in 2004.

If I were Mr. Sawyer, I would knock on 50 doors in Bangor and leave the soda wars to the professionals.

For awhile Sen. Joe Perry, D-Bangor, wasn’t sure if he’d run again in November.

There are important issues facing Bangor – Hollywood Slots, school funding and mill closures, just to name a few, Perry said. With three of his colleagues leaving, he realized there had to be some continuity in representation of the city. He plans to be on the November ballot.

At least three of the four Bangor representatives will not run again next year. Reps. Jacqueline Norton, D-Bangor, and Patricia Blanchette, D-Bangor, are termed out. Rep. Sean Faircloth, D-Bangor, is giving up his seat in hopes of becoming the next Attorney General.

UPDATED 4:45 PM with comments from Rep. Jeremy Fischer

With presidential candidates John Edwards and Rudy Giuliani dropping out so close to the Maine caucuses, supporters are looking to other candidates.

U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud endorsed Edwards in October. Spokeswoman Monica Castellanos said he will back another candidate, she’s just not sure who or when.

Tom Sawyer, a Republican from Bangor, has emailed supporters letting them know that he will be seeking the Senate Seat in district 32 (Bangor and Hermon)

It would appear that the Democrats have their eye on the seat being vacated by Senator Karl Turner. Word is they have lined up Jeanne Hulit, a banker with strong business connections to the greater Portland area. This Senate seat may well become ground zero for control of the State Senate in 2008. The Hulit candidacy just upped the ante. The senate district includes Cumberland, Falmouth, Gray, Yarmouth and North Yarmouth.