For whom will you cast your vote in the upcoming gubernatorial election?

[Maineah]

Originally Posted by hinher

And the truth is that things are about to get a lot worse before they have any chance of ever getting better.
Answer this: if the election had been a two man race between Cutler and LePage, what percentage of Mainers(yes the people the governor is supposed to represent) would have voted for cutler and what percent would have voted for LePage?

How can you be happy to be ruled over by a man who less than 40% of you fellow Mainers support?

If frogs had wings they would be birds......The election was what it was. How do we know what the outcome of any other scenario would have been? What if Cutler was not in the race? What if Moody had dropped out? What if the Democrats ran a better, less liberal candidate? What if the Republicans had run a more likeable, better versed candidate than LePage? You can what if it to death but it is what it is and we'll all have to get used to it! The fact that the whole state government went to Republicans in this formerly very blue state is the most remarkable aspect of the whole evening. If I was in charge of a left leaning special interest group I'd be moving my operation to another state pronto after seeing last nights' slaughter of Maine Democrats. The results showed very clearly that only the big cities and the wealthy coastal areas of Maine are bastions of liberalism....the rest of the state is not!

[hinher]

Originally Posted by Maineah

If frogs had wings they would be birds......The election was what it was. How do we know what the outcome of any other scenario would have been? What if Cutler was not in the race? What if Moody had dropped out? What if the Democrats ran a better, less liberal candidate? What if the Republicans had run a more likeable, better versed candidate than LePage? You can what if it to death but it is what it is and we'll all have to get used to it! The fact that the whole state government went to Republicans in this formerly very blue state is the most remarkable aspect of the whole evening. If I was in charge of a left leaning special interest group I'd be moving my operation to another state pronto after seeing last nights' slaughter of Maine Democrats. The results showed very clearly that only the big cities and the wealthy coastal areas of Maine are bastions of liberalism....the rest of the state is not!

This isnt about Democrats or Republicans. In a straight up two person election, would more Mainers support: Lepage or Cutler?


btw, Cutler, even with Mitchell taking his votes, still won such "elitist" big city locals as Eastport and Millinocket

[Maineah]

Originally Posted by hinher

This is about Democrats or Republicans. In a straight up two person election, would more Mainers support: Lepage or Cutler?

Guess we'll never know now......maybe in 2014?? No one is saying LePage was the best candidate in the race. He just happened to be a Republican in a year when Obama, Pelosi, Reid and throw in the Maine Democrats and Baldacci's gay marrige law while you're at it, had really infuriated many Maine voters. People were fed up with Democrats, backroom deals, takeovers, bailouts, pandering to envrio-nuts, taxing and regulating business out of the state, ignoring the will of the people, welfare, illegal aliens, gay marriage, pending tax hikes, health care, cap and trade, etc etc. Maine is now a RED state like it or not! Yes we still have an abundance of liberals and regardless of Millinockett or Meddybemps
voting preferences MOST of the liberals live in the very populated Greater Portland area. There is no disputing that. Check out how the vote tally went. Cutler was ahead 39-31% with 20% of the vote counted. That was the Portland area vote. When the rest of the state was counted who won?? Now you can see why the frustrated voters in the Northern part of Maine say there are two Maines. There are. This time the Northern part of Maine prevailed. It's a good lesson in humility for the rest of Maine.

[flycessna]

Originally Posted by Northern Maine Land Man

We had five candidates for governor. For the last 16 years we have had governors elected from fields of multiple candidates and our present governor has been referred to as G38 for shorthand because he was elected with 38% of the vote. Angus King was far to the left of the other candidates, but he bamboozled the voters with much the same line that Cutler attempted.

Nuclear power is the cleanest and lowest cost power in the world today. Paul has detailed plans for education. Just look at his campaign literature. I think we may see a quick uptick in the dropout rate statewide as we begin to require actual performance from students and teachers. Paul didn't run the school system in Waterville any more than the selectmen in towns run their local schools. That isn't how it's done in Maine, but maybe it should be, mollysmiles. Good idea.

All people have the potential for doing more harm than good. However, I believe most people try to do good. Maine people are particularly good. People from away tell us that all the time. We cannot continue down the road to economic ruin that we have experienced for the last four decades in Maine. We won't rebuild overnight, but last night was a very good first step.

I totaly agree with that statement. I have for years been dumbfounded by election results.. Election after election I have seen the kind of statements that say.. "we need more governement", " we want higher taxes", "we want more services"..

It just doesnt seem to go in line with what I would say to be the culture if Mainers that I see..

I think there has been a slow shift in philosophy from the politicians and for years Mainers stuck by old traditions.. Last night looked to me to be a huge shift in how Maine views politics.. not ideals!

I think there was soo much frustration with the chosen Party that they themself just changed which side to vote for..

A great opportunity for the republican party in Maine that should NOT be wasted..

[Maineah]

I went to bed last night thinking Eliot Cutler was going to be the next Governor of Maine. I was fine with that idea. Cutler is a stand up guy and ran a decent campaign free of back biting and name calling.
He is an honorable person and had he won I think he would have been a good choice.
His final tally speaks to the mindset of Mainers. He creamed Libby Mitchell in the final few days and nearly pulled off a surprise victory. Hats off to him and if he runs again he will probably win. All of that said we have to now get behind Paul LePage (and no not push!!!.....) and help him steer this state back on course to a better place for all of us to live ,work, raise a family, and retire. All the man can do is try...give him his duly elected chance. He may surprise you, he may disappoint you, but he has won the oppurtunity to try.

[flycessna]

Will these newly elected officials let us know what it is they want to do immediatly..specifically?

Any popular ideas that can be introduced out the gate? Scrapping dirigo?, residency requirements for welfare? ect..

On the federal level you heard last night almost immediatly what they will try and do out the door..

[hinher]

Originally Posted by Maineah

Guess we'll never know now......maybe in 2014?? No one is saying LePage was the best candidate in the race. He just happened to be a Republican in a year when Obama, Pelosi, Reid and throw in the Maine Democrats and Baldacci's gay marrige law while you're at it, had really infuriated many Maine voters. People were fed up with Democrats, backroom deals, takeovers, bailouts, pandering to envrio-nuts, taxing and regulating business out of the state, ignoring the will of the people, welfare, illegal aliens, gay marriage, pending tax hikes, health care, cap and trade, etc etc. Maine is now a RED state like it or not! Yes we still have an abundance of liberals and regardless of Millinockett or Meddybemps
voting preferences MOST of the liberals live in the very populated Greater Portland area. There is no disputing that. Check out how the vote tally went. Cutler was ahead 39-31% with 20% of the vote counted. That was the Portland area vote. When the rest of the state was counted who won?? Now you can see why the frustrated voters in the Northern part of Maine say there are two Maines. There are. This time the Northern part of Maine prevailed. It's a good lesson in humility for the rest of Maine.

Aroostook, Somerset, Washington and Penobscot all voted for Obama as did most district 2 counties. District two is represented by a Democrat. If you consider votes for Mitchell and Cutler to be "liberal votes" then there were more votes for a liberal governor than a conservative one in every single county(Including Aroostook) besides Somerset. In fact, according to the Cook Index, Both of Maine's Districts are considered to lean Democrat. Northern Maine is not this conservative Bastion you make it out to be, there a simply a higher percentage of conservatives there. The vast majority of Mainers across the state still believe in liberal values. What happened was not that northern maine beat southern maine, its simply that a unified minority(that is spread throughout every part of Maine even if they're in higher concentration in Piscatiquis) got lucky that the majority could not decide between two candidates by election day.

Originally Posted by Maineah

I went to bed last night thinking Eliot Cutler was going to be the next Governor of Maine. I was fine with that idea. Cutler is a stand up guy and ran a decent campaign free of back biting and name calling.
He is an honorable person and had he won I think he would have been a good choice.
His final tally speaks to the mindset of Mainers. He creamed Libby Mitchell in the final few days and nearly pulled off a surprise victory. Hats off to him and if he runs again he will probably win. All of that said we have to now get behind Paul LePage (and no not push!!!.....) and help him steer this state back on course to a better place for all of us to live ,work, raise a family, and retire. All the man can do is try...give him his duly elected chance. He may surprise you, he may disappoint you, but he has won the oppurtunity to try.

Now this is a very good post and its one time I can definitely agree with you. I hope LePage does well by this state, I really do. I want him to be successful and I hope he proves good enough that I'll be convinced to vote for him next go around. I'm just less than optimistic considering what I've seen so far and a little bitter considering I know most Mainers would rather have seen Cutler win than LePage.

Btw, for what its worth, I live in District 2.

[Maineah]

Originally Posted by hinher

Northern Maine is not this conservative Bastion you make it out to be, there a simply a higher percentage of conservatives there.

The vast majority of Mainers across the state still believe in liberal values.


.

That's why LePage won!! You can break it down any way you choose but the conservative North Beat the cities....end of story.



No.... the vast majority of Mainers DO NOT believe in Liberal values or there would still be Democrats running the State House, the State Senate, there would be a Democratic Governor and gay marriage would be legal in Maine. Just look at recent history and you will know your ERROR OF YOUR CONVICTIONS. Liberals did NOT control this election . There is NO way the House and Senate would have gone to the Republicans if there wasn't a real grass roots effort by the real Maine Republicans to get rid of the jerks in Augusta. Spin it any way you like Democrats and LIBERALS got hammered in this election. Those votes did not fall out of the sky hinher!!
How many times do Democrats and Liberals have to be hit in the head with the 2x4 before they see that the MAJORITY of Mainers are NOT liberal??? Wake Up!!! It is wishful thinking on Your part but recent voting tells a much different story....get over it!! YOU LOST!! Denial is a river in Africa..... Conservatives now RULE the state. Reality is tough to swallow on the first day....it gets easier.

[Cornerguy1]

Always nice to see the theory of "gracious in victory" being put into practice.

Anywhooo, the ballots have been cast and a victor declared --- which renders the topic of this thread history.