PORTLAND, Maine — With the election just days away, there’s one tie that binds most voters: they want it to be over.
Millions of dollars spent trying to secure votes has translated, for many Mainers, into multiple telephone calls per day, piles of print advertising in mailboxes, candidates and their surrogates banging on doors and an unrelenting barrage of television or social media ads.
Driving this year’s campaign is the three-way gubernatorial race, a bruising affair that has become the most expensive election in Maine history.
At this point, the candidates and their supporters have done what they can to frame ideal images of themselves in voters’ minds, but the question of what is sticking and what’s not is a tricky one to answer. The Bangor Daily News and Sun Journal surveyed voters Thursday through Sunday to try to find out.
The survey is unscientific and not meant to predict the outcome of what pollsters perceive to be an extremely tight race. Given the noise from campaigns and pundits, a sampling of opinions from the people who will decide the race seemed appropriate.
Responses ranged from detailed analysis of the issues to “are we electing a new president this year?”
Most voters offered clear and passionate opinions about the gubernatorial race, which pits incumbent Republican Gov. Paul LePage against Democrat Mike Michaud and independent Eliot Cutler.
Midcoast
On early Friday morning at Bath Iron Works, the sentiment was decidedly leaning to LePage. Asked who he supports for governor, shipfitter Richard Paige of Cundy’s Harbor in Harpswell didn’t hesitate.
“LePage,” he said. “I just like the way he doesn’t take any bull from anyone.”
Bill Cushman of Monmouth, also a shipfitter, agreed.
“LePage, no question,” he said. “I like his morals. He doesn’t believe in abortion. I think he’s more fiscally responsible, [and] he tried to keep taxes low. Plus, he was nice to my two kids when we met him.”
In a corner booth at Frosty’s Donuts on Maine Street in Brunswick, a group of lifelong friends from Topsham who call themselves the “French Connection” gathered as they have done each morning since the shop reopened several years ago.
The three registered Democrats all said Friday that they would cast their votes this year for LePage.
“If my father knew that I was voting Republican, he’d be flipping over in his grave,” said Roger Caouette, 72, of Topsham. “But Michaud went to Washington, and it ruined him.”
“We’re pleased with the fact that we’ve got a businessman in the Blaine House as opposed to a politician,” Ronald Allard, 71, said. “We like the things he’s done. He reduced the income tax, paid off the hospitals.”
“And he’s reining in welfare,” chimed in Joe Bernier of Topsham, who voted for Democrat Barack Obama for president six years ago.
Caouette said he appreciates LePage’s strong advocacy against domestic violence — “and he’s been through it.”
At the other end of Maine Street, as farmers arranged vegetables for the weekly fresh produce market on the Brunswick Mall, the politics were different.
Laura and Nick Whatley of Whatley Farms in Topsham will vote for Michaud. They’ve supported him for years and were pleased with his leadership when the Democrat served as president of the Maine Senate.
“He knows how to make government work well and how to get things done,” Laura Whatley said.
“He did extremely well bringing the two parties together,” Nick Whatley said. “And I think he understands farmers. He’s definitely in favor of helping out any way he can.”
Danielle Walsh of Morrill is a University of Maine student working toward a master’s degree in social work. She did not hesitate Thursday on High Street in Belfast when asked how she’ll vote.
“As far away from LePage as I can get,” she said.
The most important issue for her this year is the expansion of MaineCare, the state’s Medicaid program, with the goal of increasing health insurance coverage for Mainers. Both Michaud and Cutler have pledged to make expansion the priority of their administration.
Across the street, Paul Jurutka of Belfast was perusing the wares in the window of BellaBooks. The semi-retired carpenter said that he is planning to vote on Tuesday, as he does every year, and will cast his ballot for Michaud.
He said that his choices haven’t been affected by the barrage of campaign advertising this election season.
“It hasn’t swayed me,” he said. “I actually haven’t gotten as much junk mail this year as usual.”
Bangor
Dan Long, 50, a registered Republican from Hudson, said Sunday that advertising from Michaud, Cutler and their allies sounds like a “sales pitch,” which is one reason why he will vote for LePage.
“You always know what you’re getting with LePage,” said Long, who described himself as a hunter interested in small business. “He’s done what he said he would do. You always look for a candidate [who is] going to support what you’re interested in and he does.”
Late ads won’t have any impact on the ballot cast by Wanda Westley, 56, a registered Republican from Milford who voted early for LePage.
“I like his actions around welfare. And schools,” she said. “I heard part of his debate. I liked what he had to say about his overall concern [about schools], and wanting to provide the best for the state’s schools. I just really like the fact that he’s a no-nonsense governor.”
Like Long and Wesley Tim Dauphinee, 64, a registered Democrat, talked politics while eating lunch Sunday at Bagel Central in Bangor. Dauphinee said he feels Michaud represents who he is because Dauphinee’s father, like Michaud, worked in mills.
“He knows how to punch a time clock, face a layoff,” he said of Michaud, who has “paid his dues” in Congress, according to Dauphinee.
A few seats away, Ingrid Bengis-Palei, 70, of Stonington said she’s voting for Michaud.
“He fits with Maine,” she said. “I feel he’s genuinely worked hard, but doesn’t make a big fuss about it.”
Portland
Kristine Keeney of Portland, a registered Democrat, is a Michaud supporter who attended Obama’s visit to Portland on Thursday evening, where she was inspired to volunteer for a weekend phone tree on Michaud’s behalf.
“Mike knows where he came from,” said Keeney, turning around a repeated statement by Michaud that LePage has forgotten his roots. “LePage has proven to be fairly embarrassing. I think Mike has a little more integrity than he does.”
Paul Kiley of Portland said he moved to Maine about three years ago after a career in Minnesota and California working on political campaigns, mostly for Democrats. He said he wishes that Michaud would offer Cutler a cabinet level position to further coalesce the two candidates’ supporters in a way that would defeat LePage. Though Kiley said he doesn’t consider Michaud “the sharpest knife in the drawer,” Michaud has earned his vote.
Kiley said in such a tight election, the result may well come down to how LePage handles an international controversy that has erupted about whether Kaci Hickox, a nurse from Fort Kent who treated Ebola patients in West Africa and recently returned to the states, should be quarantined.
“If the governor demonizes her in any way, I think it’s over for him,” said Kiley.
Chris Harmon, a lawyer from Portland, was in Monument Square on Halloween morning wearing a Batman costume.
“I admire Gov. LePage’s stance against domestic violence, but I’ll vote for Mike Michaud,” said Harmon. “I wasn’t wowed by him at the debates, but I do believe he’s the best candidate for governor.”
Lewiston-Auburn
Social issues marked a clear divide for voters in Lewiston-Auburn.
Danielle Staples-Libby, 22, of Lisbon plans to vote for LePage.
“He is against abortion and is willing to protect religious freedom. That’s of very big importance to me and my family,” she told the Sun Journal.
Conversely, Faith Bruce, 25, of Lewiston supports Michaud because “all of the social issues that are important to me, he is right on.”
Heather White, 41, of Greene supports Michaud, voicing the anti-LePage sentiment that is seen as a voting bloc Michaud needs to keep away from Cutler as he attempts to be the first challenger to unseat an incumbent Maine governor since Democrat Ken Curtis ousted Republican John Reed in 1966.
“I like what he stands for. I like that he’s from Maine, and I think LePage just needs to get out of office,” White told the Sun Journal.
Terry Brann, 69, of Wilton offered a contrasting view in explaining his support for LePage.
“I think he’s trying to do the right thing, although he’s going about it in a different way than most people would do,” Brann said. “He’s going after welfare fraud. Abuse is rampant. He paid off the hospital debt and is paying attention to domestic abuse.”
Noticeably lacking during discussions with voters in the days leading to the election was support for Cutler, although it was not completely absent.
Reggie Arsenault of Mexico said he will vote for Cutler, despite the independent’s acknowledgment Wednesday that he is a “long shot” to win.
“[He’s] the only one with enough common sense to help smaller towns out after our revenue-sharing was robbed,” Arsenault told the Sun Journal. “I think he’ll be able to help us out in that way. I also think he’s the only one willing to get our school funding to 55 percent.”
Question 1
A possible X factor in Tuesday’s election is Question 1, in which a “yes” vote supports a ban on bear hunting with the use of bait, traps or hounds. Mainers who have decided how they will vote on Question 1 but not in the governor’s race could tilt the tight contest toward LePage or Michaud.
“The bear baiting really bothers me,” said Sean Libby of Portland, during his walk to work on Friday morning through Portland’s Monument Square. “I’m not big on hunting that way. It’s really not a sport at that point.”
Libby said he was not sure his work schedule would allow him to get to the polls Tuesday.
Tim Morris, a labo Presque Isle, said Saturday that he is customarily not a regular voter. But he is going to make sure to vote this year because he is an avid hunter who wants to vote “no” on Question 1,.
“If it were just bonds or something, I usually don’t go and vote, but this is different,” he said.
Craig Dyer, 38, of Brewer said Sunday that he’s not registered with a party. He also feels strongly about Question 1 and plans to vote “no.” As a hunter, he said he doesn’t believe that outside groups should be chiming in on what methods Maine hunters should be allowed to use.
Dyer also plans to vote for LePage. He likes that LePage “keeps the bees shaken up” on issues such as welfare reform.
Finally, some voters remain undecided despite the onslaught of campaign rhetoric — although that rhetoric seems to have taken a toll on at least one voter’s opinion of government.
“In my view, it doesn’t really matter which one you choose,” Richard Girardin, 56, of Lewiston told the Sun Journal. “They are all pretty much selected before the election. By that I mean they have to be pretty willing to play ball with big corporations, or they don’t have much chance of winning.”
Election Day is Tuesday. What will we talk about after that?
Bangor Daily News writers Beth Brogan, Abigail Curtis, Nell Gluckman and Nick McCrea contributed to this report. Information from the Sun Journal also is included.
