In talking to people here in South Portland about the hot local political topic of the moment, the proposal to ban dogs on Willard beach, I've noticed something interesting. If someone is undecided on the issue, mentioning that dogs have always been allowed on the beach usually makes up their mind against the ban.

Fifteen months before the 2010 gubernatorial election and ten months before the primary, the race for Maine's governor already has more than a dozen candidates, with several more heavy-hitters on the horizon.

As the debate over health care reform becomes more heated and as policy makers and the public focus even more closely on the role of a government-run public health insurance plan, many across the country are attempting to unravel the nuanced view on the policy held by Olympia Snowe, Maine’s senior senator.

The state of Maine has had its share of crooks and liars hold political office, but there has also been a strong thread reaching back through the state's history of men and women in high office who have taken brave stands, putting a greater principle ahead of the politics of the moment.

You may have noticed that my posting at MainePolitics.net has slowed and become a bit more erratic. I have a good excuse, though. I've been hiking the Appalachian Trail... in Argentina.

There’s an oft-repeated story from the halls of Congress about a newly elected Democratic House member who asks a party leader where the Republicans are, explaining that he wants to "meet the enemy." The more seasoned legislator corrects him and explains that the Republicans are just the opposition, the Senate is the enemy.

To any reasonable person, there's no doubt that Republican Les Otten appropriated the design of President Obama's campaign logo and website for his gubernatorial campaign.

A landmark election last week in Nova Scotia, Maine’s Northeastern neighbor, has sidelined the two historically-dominant political parties and brought a democratic-socialist government to power, a first in the history of Eastern Canada.

There's an election next week that could lead to the creation of a powerful new public office in Maine and possibly change the political dynamics of the entire state.

In an email sent Thursday, The Maine Marriage Initiative, a group or religious and conservative political organizations led by the Portland Catholic Diocese, announced that supporters should be prepared to begin gathering signatures soon to enact a "people's veto" of Maine's equal marriage legislation.

The email stressed the importance of gathering the signatures in time to make the November ballot.