NEWS CENTER Maine’s Political Brew: Sunday, November 6, 2022

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Our analysts this week are former state senator and mayor of Portland Ethan Strimling and former state senator and Yarmouth city councilor Phil Harriman.

MAINE, USA — The 2022 election is lastly right here. However some Mainers are already centered on 2023.

Backers of a plan to purchase out Central Maine Energy and Versant Energy to be able to create Pine Tree Energy, a consumer-owned utility, have submitted more than 80,000 signatures to get the question on the ballot next year.

However a enterprise and labor coalition referred to as Maine Reasonably priced Power has greater than 90,000 signatures for a proposal referred to as “No Clean Checks,” which might require a statewide vote on any new authorities debt of over $1 billion.

Phil Harriman stated this shall be “an important resolution for the way forward for Maine,” and requested, “Will we wish to have a government-run utility firm, or can we hold it within the palms of personal buyers who’re accountable to the general public utilities fee?”

Ethan Strimling stated the opponents of Pine Tree Energy needed to pay signature gatherers to flow into petitions.

He recalled final election day when he volunteered to assemble signatures for a consumer-owned utility, “All you wanted to do was say, ‘Hey, do you wish to eliminate CMP? Signal right here,’ and folks flocked, as a result of CMP’s favorables are so low.”

This previous week, President Joe Biden urged voters to avoid wasting American democracy from Donald Trump supporters’ election-denying lies and the political violence he stated they’ve impressed.

Harriman thinks Biden “has no coverage that he can declare has been a convincing success. He is principally saying, ‘Go help the Democrats as a result of the opposite guys are worse.'”

However Strimling believes there’s a number of concern about our democracy. “There are 300 candidates operating for federal or statewide workplace who’re flat-out election deniers, and they’re the puppets of Donald Trump — and [Biden] understands that.”

Our analysts weigh in with predictions concerning the main races in Maine. Each consider Democratic Rep. Chellie Pingree will win re-election over challenger Ed Thelander in CD-1 — the one query is by how a lot.

Democrat Strimling stated he is sweating it out over CD-2 however believes Rep. Jared Golden will win re-election. Harriman stated Poliquin can solely win if he will get greater than 50 % on election evening, but when it goes to a ranked-choice voting tabulation, he believes Golden will prevail.

Each males suppose Republicans will win management of the Maine Home of Representatives, however in accordance with Strimling, solely by a one or two-seat margin.

Harriman believes Republicans can flip the Maine Senate their approach, however Strimling stated they need to take too many seats in order that Democrats will keep answerable for that chamber.

And on the prime of the ticket, there’s disagreement.

Harriman thinks former Gov. Paul LePage will win a 3rd time period however acknowledged “it is a powerful hill to climb.”

He stated it’ll come right down to how enthusiastic his supporters within the second district are to be able to overcome Gov. Janet Mills’ power within the first district.

Strimling thinks Mills can overcome Republican costs that she is responsible for inflation and stated, “Democrats make a mistake typically to not deal with it or attempt to reduce it.”

However he believes, “What Mills has stated is, ‘I can not management inflation,’ which after all she will be able to’t, ‘however I can get more cash into folks’s pockets.’ And I feel folks perceive and admire that.”

Ethan Strimling and Phil Harriman shall be reside within the studio with NEWS CENTER Maine on election evening, providing evaluation alongside two of our different political analysts, Ray Richardson of WLOB Radio and Democratic activist Betsy Candy.

Political Brew airs Sundays on NEWS CENTER Maine’s Weekend Morning Report.