The Democratic Party sent an email release yesterday about party and campaign workers heading to Georgia to help with the run-off election and to Minnesota to assist the Al Franken campaign, which is locked in a tight recount with incumbent Republican Norm Coleman. These two contests, along with the recount in Alaska, will decide the final partisan make-up of the US Senate and could give Democrats a 59 or (less likely) 60-seat majority.
Knutson said there was further evidence this week of the caliber of staff that Chandler recruited. Approximately a 10 members of his staff, including field director Mark Henson, were tapped by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) to help with the Minnesota recount between Senator Norm Coleman (R-MN) and Democratic challenger Al Franken. The crew left Wednesday on the 24-hour drive to Minneapolis-St. Paul.
In addition, the party's IT Director, Reid DeWolfe, joined two Tom Allen for Senate staffers in Georgia, where they will hold leadership positions in the Georgia Senatorial run-off election between Republican incumbent Saxby Chambliss and Democratic challenger Jim Martin. Georgia law calls for a run-off when no candidate earns a 50 percent majority.
"The fact these staffers were tapped to work on the run-off and recount campaigns that are so important to determining the leadership that President Obama will have in the Senate speaks volumes about the talent on Tom Allen's campaign and at the Maine Democratic Party," Knutson said.
www.iwasaluckyone.com is a new website created by the Maine Democratic Party offering a look at Senator Snowe-Mello's record on animal welfare. It may also be the first time an adorable puppy has been used in an attack ad.
I found the site through traffic from an outgoing link to my post on Snowe-Mello's disagreement with the Sun Journal about her actions opposing the rescue effort at a Buxton puppy mill. It's not clear how the party intends to promote the site in District 15.
Looks like the District 15 state senate race alone could keep me busy until the election. The latest from the race is more info on the independent expenditure from the Maine Democratic Party that led to $13,000 in matching funds being transferred to the campaign of Republican incumbent Lois Snowe-Mello and a potential fine being levied against the MDP.
It turns out the expenditure in question was for two mailers meant to be "issue advocacy". The Maine Clean Elections Act states that issue advocacy (which doesn't trigger matching funds) can mention a candidate but not specifically promote their candidacy. According to the MDP's lawyer, the vendor they hired altered the designs without informing the party and included the phrase "Deb Simpson for State Senate." This changed the mailers into "express advocacy," necessitating an immediate report to the ethics commission and a $13,000 disbursement to Simpson's opponent.
Here's one of the proofs the MDP says they signed off on:
And here's the version that was sent (change highlighted in red):
The party is contesting the fine levied against them based on their lack of knowledge of the designer's mistake until after the mailers were sent. Their case will be heard on Monday.
Despite the costly mistake, the party is still using the Louisiana-based vendor for other expenditures.
Women from across the state have expressed their support for Allen by signing up online for the group, which has had events in Portland, Biddeford, Bar Harbor and Bangor and plans to have two more in Augusta and Auburn.
Maine Senate President Beth Edmonds and Maine Senate Majority Leader Libby Mitchell, strong advocates for women and families in Maine's legislature, are co-chairs of Women for Tom Allen.
"Tom Allen's record in Washington demonstrates his commitment to issues that affect Maine women and families," Senator Edmonds said. "Tom introduced the Middle Class Opportunity Act to provide tax credits for higher education, families with children, and families with ailing or elderly family members."
Congressman Allen is continuing to host a series of community suppers throughout the state. The next four are in southern Maine.
SANFORD Community Supper Tuesday, August 5th, 5:30pm - 7:00pm
Nasson Community Center
457 Main Street
Springvale
RSVP: Adam at alovell@mainedems.org or 324-9003
BATH Community Supper
Wednesday, August 6th from 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Midcoast Community Action Building
34 Wing Farm Parkway
Bath
RSVP: Kim at kballard@mainedems.org or 386-0108
SACO Community Supper
Thursday, August 7th from 5:00pm - 6:30pm
Unitarian Universalist Church
60 School Street
Saco
RSVP: Marc at mmalon@mainedems.org or 284-6071
WINDHAM Community Supper
Friday, August 8th from 5:30pm - 7:00pm
Windham Veterans Cente
35 Veterans Memorial Drive
Windham
RSVP: Jessica at jsaulnier@mainedems.org or 699-5901
The Allen campaign will also be helping the Maine Democratic Party open three new offices in Rumford, Farmington and Sanford, bringing the total up to 28 across the state.
Rumford: This Saturday, August 2nd at 2:00 p.m. The office is located at 232 Route 108. Special Guest: Rep. Tom Allen!
Farmington: This Saturday, August 2nd at 12:30 p.m. at the Old Theater on Broadway. Special Guest: Diana Allen!
Sanford: Tuesday, August 5th from 3-5 p.m., we’ll hold the Grand Opening Celebration for the Sanford Office, located at 882 Main Street. Special Guest: Rep. Tom Allen!
Maine Democrats hit McCain on an issue close to home during his trip to southern Maine yesterday, staging an event in Portland on the issue of home energy and promoting a report listing four times that McCain has voted against the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which provides help to 46,000 households in Maine.
"Having voted time and again to deny home heating assistance to Mainers in need, it is clear that John McCain is out of touch with the challenges facing Maine families."
Tuesday, August 5th, 5:30pm - 7:00pm
