Augusta, ME

Under the Dome: Inside the Maine State House provides a high-level overview of recent activity at the Maine State House.

AUGUSTA FOCUSED ON ELECTIONS

With less than three weeks to go until November’s elections, all focus in Augusta is on politics.  The Governor’s race has drawn the most attention this year and is the race with the biggest implications for state policy over the next four years.  Over the past two weeks, there have been a number of polls showing a tight contest and we have entered debate season, with gubernatorial candidates completing three of five debates. 

Like every election year, all seats in the Maine House and Maine Senate are up for election.  There is generally no public polling of these smaller contests, so Election Day often brings surprises in these races.  It is possible to get a sense of which House and Senate races are competitive based on partisan, independent expenditures to support legislative candidates.  In roughly six weeks, over 200 separate independent expenditure reports have been filed with the Governmental Ethics and Election Practices Commission.  This highlights just how competitive control of the Blaine House and the Legislature is this year and portends record setting political spending this election cycle.