After 30 years of nearly continuous control of the State House, the Democratic Party has had a long time to develop a roster of dynamic, forward-looking candidates. That is why this year’s slate of candidates seeking the Blaine House is so disappointing.
On one hand are the three old-school insiders: Pat McGowan, Libby Mitchell and Steven Rowe. On the other is an untested but persuasive newcomer: Rosa Scarcelli.
Being a government insider is not necessarily a bad thing (you need to know how government works in order to be governor); instead, it is the quality of that experience — and what was learned from it — that matters.
The three insiders are symbolic of the political patronage that the public has so vociferously opposed. Mr. McGowan, who served a decade in the Legislature, earned the respect of many Democrats by almost beating Olympia Snowe — twice — to represent the state’s 2nd District in Congress 20 years ago. He then served as the regional administrator for the U.S. Small Business Administration. He was Gov. John Baldacci’s conservation commissioner, where he negotiated some historic land preservation deals, most notably the addition of Katahdin Lake to Baxter State Park. Mr. McGowan has also owned several small businesses.
Libby Mitchell is the first woman elected both speaker of the House and president of the Senate in any state. As Senate president she successfully held off the more liberal wing of her caucus and passed budgets without tax increases. She also shepherded controversial gay marriage and tax reform legislation through the Senate.
She has long championed improving the state’s education system, but at the same time was behind legislation that hampers reform of the university system and K-12 administration.
Mr. Rowe served eight years as the state’s attorney general and was speaker of the House. His focus, if elected governor, would be on early childhood development. He is right that many problems, such as unaffordable corrections and health and human services spending, could be affected by greater investments in the state’s youngest children. A governor, however, must have a much broader focus.
Although Mr. Rowe, Mr. McGowan and Ms. Mitchell talk about cutting state spending — a necessity in the fiscal and political environment — they soon after talk about new programs and initiatives they will launch as governor. If Democratic voters think Maine is generally on the right path and that only slight corrections are needed, any of these candidates are worthy of their votes.
If they believe bigger, systemic changes are needed, they should look to Rosa Scarcelli, who runs a company that provides low-income housing. Although she has good ideas and an enthusiasm for remaking government, it is not clear she can turn those ideas into reality, especially when faced with an intransigent Legislature.
Maine has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to rebuild a leaner, more efficient state government — a government that does fewer things, but does them well.
The Democratic Party, which has managed the state from crisis to crisis rather than with an eye toward overhauling government, may miss this opportunity. This should be a wake-up call that the party needs a deeper and more diverse bench.