Mike Tipping

District 32: Perry or Sawyer?

Submitted by Mike Tipping on Mon, 09/08/2008 - 4:39pm.

District 32

The state Senate race in district 32 (Bangor and Hermon) pits incumbent Democratic Senator Joe Perry against former Senator Tom Sawyer, who lost the seat to then Representative Perry in 2004. The rematch is attracting a lot of interest.

Tony Payne, executive director (and blogger)

Maine may be shaded a solid blue on CNN

Submitted by Mike Tipping on Tue, 09/02/2008 - 3:15pm.

Maine may be shaded a solid blue on CNN's presidential election map, but the real story is much more complicated, especially at the state and local level.

Maine Republican Party and the 'Hired Gun' Author

Submitted by Mike Tipping on Mon, 08/25/2008 - 7:11pm.

Alex Ray was the first executive director of the Maine Republican Party, a post he held from 1971-1974. In his new book, "Hired Gun: A Political Odyssey," he describes a deeply dived Republican party, explains how he won big victories for Republicans in the state House and Senate, and also gives lie to the notion of Maine politics being devoid of dirty tactics.

State of the Race

Submitted by Mike Tipping on Mon, 08/18/2008 - 12:02pm.

As Labor Day approaches, political campaigns in Maine shift into high gear, and will run hard straight through until the election in November. Now is a good time to take stock of what will likely be Maine's most contentious election this year, the US Senate race between Incumbent Republican Senator Susan Collins and Democratic 1st District Congressman Tom Allen. The Horse Race This week, Rasmussen released a

Maine and the Presidential Election

Submitted by Mike Tipping on Mon, 08/11/2008 - 4:33pm.

There's a slim chance that northern and central Maine will decide the Presidential election.

Because Maine assigns two of its electoral votes in the presidential election to the winner of each of the state's two congressional districts, there's always the possibility that the states vote will be split, with three votes going to one candidate and one to the other.

The split would be most likely to occur if John McCain made inroads into the 2nd district. Despite the fact that a Democrat

BIW Contracts, Obama in Maine and More

Submitted by Mike Tipping on Wed, 08/06/2008 - 6:29am.

Bath Iron Works is one of the largest private employers in the state and has long been a mainstay of Maine politics. Senators Margaret Chase Smith, Ed Muskie, George Mitchell, Bill Cohen, and now Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins have all touted their ability to secure naval shipbuilding contracts for BIW as a sign of their clout in Washington. In 1981, Maine voters even passed a state-wide referendum to fund a new dry-dock for the shipbuilder using public funds.

Way back in 1997, the Bangor

The Tipping Point

Mike Tipping writes about the politics of the Pine Tree State, covering Maine like black flies in June. Mike lives in Westbrook, Maine, works for the Maine People's Alliance, and blogs daily at www.mainepolitics.net

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Our New Books
	Interventions \| Four individually bound stories presented in a lovely slipcase.
	Mr. Rockefeller's Roads \| This updated version of the 1990 best-seller has new photography, more archival photos, and descriptions of recent improvements to the 51-mile carriage road system.
	Biking Mount Desert Island \| An in-depth look at 18 of the island’s finest loop routes.
	Sea Glass Crafts \| Filled with ideas to turn your seaside treasures into home decor—inside and out, practical and decorative, whimsical and serious.