In my DownEast.com post this week, I take a look at the state of the race for Senate so far as we approach the polito-mythical date of labor day, considered the traditional start point for campaigns in Maine.

There's one big thing I don't understand about the race so far. Both those for and those against the Employee Free Choice Act admit that it will allow more people to join unions, allow more industries to be unionized, and increase union power.

Why then are the unions failing to contest the issue here in Maine where Allen is being hammered for his support. They say they're putting their money into organizing rather than TV ads, but that's not where the battle is being fought. Failing to buy ads to oppose Wal-Mart and the other corporate opponents of the EFCA sends a bad message to other politicians who might be soft on supporting labor's goals, and it may lose them the Democratic seats they need to overcome a filibuster.