“Maine’s LePage Ready To Try Federal Policymaking”: Watching A Hindenberg-Level Disaster
By most measures, Maine Gov. Paul LePage’s (R) tenure hasn’t gone especially well. The Tea Party Republican, elected twice after an independent candidate split the center-left in both races, has generally earned a reputation as an offensive buffoon, whose antics often border on repulsive.
But as WMTW in Portland reported yesterday, the Maine governor is nevertheless ready for some kind of promotion.
Gov. Paul LePage hopes Donald Trump picks him to be part of his administration if he is elected to office.
If not, he’ll run against Angus King for U.S. Senate in 2018. That’s what the governor said at his town hall meeting in Lewiston on Wednesday night.
“I said earlier that if I’m not into the Trump Administration, I will be running against Angus King,” LePage reportedly said. “Now, don’t tell my wife. She hasn’t said yes yet.”
In other words, the Maine governor is so confident in his successes as a state policymaker, he’s ready to parlay his unique talents into shaping federal policy, too.
The Republican didn’t specify exactly which job he’d like to have in a Trump administration – LePage has no real areas of expertise – and the presumptive Republican nominee, who picked up the Maine governor’s endorsement in February, hasn’t publicly suggested he expects LePage to be part of his team.
And yet, the governor, perhaps tired of his current job and the frequency with which his many vetoes are overturned, is nevertheless daring to dream.
Of course, if Trump loses in November – or, as hard as this may seem to imagine, if a President Trump declines to offer LePage a powerful federal job in Washington – the Maine Republican will apparently turn his attention to Sen. Angus King’s (I) re-election bid in 2018.
As the Bangor Daily News reported this week, some progressive activists in Maine believe that would be a terrific idea.
“Your opponents deserve the delicious schadenfreude of watching the Hindenberg-level disaster that a LePage Senate campaign will deliver,” reads a new MoveOn.org petition.
By: Steve Benen, The Madddow Blog, May 6, 2016
5 Comments »
Share your comment
Share This Blog
mykeystrokes.com- “The Unrelenting Hostility Of Washington’s Courtier Press”: The Media’s Crusade Of Scandals Against Hillary Clinton
- “Endorsing This Philistine”: The Christian Right Has Surrendered To Trump
- “Cop Killers Serve No Cause”: It’s Getting To The Point Where No Lives Matter
- “We’re Not Post-Racial Yet”: The Demons Of Our Racist Past Still Haunt Us
- “Ghosts Of History”: Why America Recoils From Donald Trump
mykeystrokes.com 
Although no one thought LePage could have won the governorship, and then get re-elected – until two other challengers split the vote both times.
LikeLike
Actually it was “so-called” Independent Elliot Cutler who ran for Governor in 2010 and again in 2014 after being rebuffed by the Maine Democratic Party to run as a Democrat. Maine Dems wanted either Congressman Mike Michaud or Congresswoman Chellie Pingree to head the ticket. Pingree decided not to run. In both years, Cutler decided to run as an Independent, splitting the vote which resulted in Paul LePage’s election and subsequent re-election. Needless to say, Cutler has no chance of ever becoming an elected official in Maine.
LikeLike
But what if Cutler decides to run in a Senate election with LePage, too?
LikeLike
Good question. Angus King (I) is the incumbent, is a past 2 term Governor, is well respected and is a favorite son. I attended the Maine Democratic Convention over the weekend. Obviously there was talk of LePage’s flirtation with a run for King’s seat. Also, King initially endorsed fellow independent Cutler but switched his endorsement to Congressman Mike Michaud (D) as he realized that Cutler stood no chance of winning. Cutler stayed in the race anyway. Since his first term, LePage as progressively become more brazen and combative with the Legislature which has overturned several of his veto’s. He has alienated republicans and democrats alike. There has even been talk of his impeachment coming from republicans who also believe he has gone too far. He is now embroiled in a personal lawsuit by the Speaker of the House (D) for abuse of power. If either LePage or Cutler decides to enter the race against King, both will surely lose. In fact, many would like to see either or both of them run so they can get their comeuppance.
LikeLike
I like your article, very inspiring and thank you for your post
LikeLike