by Jonathan Reisman

I have bipolar dreams and nightmares about 2024. Many consequential issues and events are on the agenda, and there will undoubtedly be some surprises as well. I have been alternating between sweet dreams and terrifying nightmares.

National Popular Vote

In early January, the Legislature’s Veteran and Legal Affairs Committee will schedule a long-delayed public hearing on the National Popular Vote (NPV) Interstate Compact (LD 1587), which would award Maine’s four electoral votes to whichever candidate wins the national popular vote, regardless of who the voters of Maine in each Congressional district have supported. Had the NPV been in effect in 2016 and 2020, the 2nd Congressional District’s support for Donald Trump would have been nullified and reversed by the Democratic vote majorities in California and New York. I can understand why left-of-center voters in southern Maine think disenfranchising right-of-center voters in rural northern and eastern Maine is a good idea, but I do not think it will be well received.

The NPV is co-sponsored by the Democratic Speaker of the House and Senate President, and if the last session’s abortion on demand until birth vote is any guide, it is very likely to pass regardless of public testimony against it. The NPV almost passed under similar circumstances in 2019 until a few 2nd Congressional District Democrats voted against it (Thank you, Rep. Robert Alley (D-Jonesport). Rep. John Andrews (R-Paris) has formed a Political Action Committee (Save Maine’s Vote!) to fight the NPV and its well-funded supporters, including the League of Women Voters. Rep. Andrews is energetic and determined, but the sponsors of the NPV also include Republican Senator Matt Pouliot (R-Kennebec), who represents many Augusta area state employees. It will be very difficult to defeat LD 1587.

Under the Compact Clause (Art 1, section 10, clause 3) of the Constitution, interstate agreements require Congressional consent, although the proponents are arguing that it is not required. I have explicitly asked Senators Collins, King, and Representative Golden to submit authorizing legislation in the hopes that Congress would debate and deny NPV consent. Non-responsive responses from Senator King and Rep. Golden suggest that they will do no such thing and that they support the NPV while maintaining Nixonian/Clintonian “plausible deniability.” Senator Collins has remained silent, although I have asked her staff to look into it. 

In my hopeful dreams, the two GOP 2nd CD hopefuls, Reps. Mike Soboleski (R-Phillips) and Austin Theriault (R-Fort Kent), join Rep. Andrews in fighting the NPV, thereby energizing the 2nd CD Republican electorate and possibly peeling off enough second CD Democrats to defeat the NPV.  Perhaps Gov. Mills remembers her 2nd CD roots and vetoes the NPV. Perhaps Senator Collins remembers her oath to support and defend the Constitution and introduces legislation requiring Congressional consent. In my nightmares, however, none of these happen, and The NPV becomes law without Congressional approval, the League of Women Voters successfully disenfranchises the deplorable Trump voters of rural Maine and we ruefully remember Dr. Franklin’s warning about a Republic…if you can keep it.       

Senate seat

Soon-to-be octogenarian “independent” Angus King is running for a third six-year Senate term. He has no announced opponents. His record includes strong support for Presidents Obama and Biden, their appointees, and policies and strong opposition to President Trump, his appointees, and policies. Most notably, Senator King has been a prominent advocate for the appeasement and funding of Iran, climate alarmism, and, as a member of the Intelligence Committee, the Russian collusion hoax that Hillary Clinton successfully manufactured to hobble President Trump. In a stunning middle finger to Maine’s forest products industry, he also was an advocate for the tree-spiking apologist President Biden appointed to lead the Bureau of Land Management.

Since Angus caucuses with the Democrats, the lack of a Democratic opponent is somewhat understandable, and some fringe lefty lunatic candidate-to-be-named later will undoubtedly emerge and provide some unthreatening comic relief. However, no Republican opponent has announced, and it is getting late. Signature collection to get on the ballot starts soon, and fundraising for even a semi-serious attempt should have already started.

In my dreams, a well-funded and articulate Republican opponent has already announced. In my nightmares, no such individual appears. In my worst sweat-inducing and scariest scenarios, I run against my old boss myself.