This week saw the first major TV advertising for statewide campaigns in the 2012 General Election in Maine. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has begun airing an ad attacking the record of former Governor and U.S. Senate candidate Angus King and tonight Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders will begin airing an ad in support of the referendum to allow marriage licenses for same-sex couples in Maine.

The ad against King, which is part of a more-than $200,000 ad buy, has received attention so far for both its tone and the messenger behind it.

Dan Billings, chief counsel to Governor Paul LePage and his representative on the Maine Republican Party State Committee, published a note on Facebook on Saturday accusing GOP Chair Charlie Webster of attempting a “naked power grab” in order to maintain his control over party infrastructure.

There are a number of ways in which Governor Paul LePage's claim that, under Obamacare, the IRS is a "new Gestapo" is different from and worse than his previous outlandish statements.

First of all, this wasn't some off-the-cuff remark to a reporter, or an off-script moment in a speech. This was an official part of the Governor's address to the state, vetted by his office, widely distributed in print and audio formats and played on radio stations across Maine.

I often enjoy blogger and columnist Matt Gagnon's writing. When he's deep in campaign gossip, his work takes on a breathless, insidery tone and he's able to spin whole fabrics out of even the thinnest thread of a rumor. He's also put some good pressure on specific candidates.