by Jonathan Reisman

Maine will have a host of political primaries next June that should be entertaining, consequential, and interrelated. Turnout and demographic differences across Maine may lead to some June surprises and November drama. Generational/succession conflicts are evident across Maine and the nation as a last wave of baby boomers runs against assorted Gen Z’ers, millennials, and zoomers. Both parties have significant antisemitic (or anti-zionist if you prefer to “whitewash” it) sentiment and policy advocacy. The Democrats have an additional split between “Democratic socialists” (commies) and assorted capitalism apologists, while Republicans have plenty of boneheads promoting 50-year mortgages.

There will be statewide Democratic and Republican primaries for Governor and U.S. Senate and in both Congressional Districts. 

Governor

Democrats: The field includes Hannah Pingree, Shenna Bellows, Angus King III, Troy Jackson (for now), Nirav Shah, Jason Cherry, and Kenneth Pinet. Climatista and Godmother of $.30/kWh electricity Pingree is the presumed favorite, but partisan Secretary of State Bellows’ successful destruction of Voter ID, coupled with ranked choice voting (RCV) and turnout spillover from 2nd CD contests, suggests that Hannah’s crowning may be a bit premature.

Republicans: The field includes Ben Midgley, Bobby Charles, David Jones, James Libby, Jonathan Bush, Kenneth Capron, Owen McCarthy, Steven Sheppard, and Robert Wessels. I’d make Bobby Charles a very slight favorite, but RCV and Republican RCV antipathy make for a very cloudy crystal ball.

Independents: Four independents are expected on the ballot in November: Rick Bennett, Alexander Murchison, John Glowa, and Ed Crockett. I don’t expect any of them to have much impact, though Republican State Senator Bennett’s embrace of climatista crappola may compete with Hannah’s nonsense, which should make any sane Republican look better — although the legacy press will most assuredly obscure any climate policy accountability.

U.S. Senate:

Republicans: Senator Collins has not drawn a primary challenger to my knowledge.

Democrats: Graham Platner and Janet Mills are in a commie vs. geezer cage match. Maine’s legacy press will be hard-pressed to cover this contest with any modicum of neutrality or fairness. In their world, Collins is a Trump-compromised Republican/capitalism apologist who must be defeated. Platner is young and charismatic, while Mills is not. Antisemitic Nazi sympathies aren’t a problem for either the left wing of the Democrats or the Tucker Carlson/Fuentes wing of the Republicans.

I expect Platner and his merry band of antisemitic socialist freedom assassins to defeat and humiliate Janet Mills and to kick off the nastiest Senate race Maine has seen in years. I have already sent Senator Collins my first-ever campaign contribution.

2nd CD

Republican: Paul LePage looks to cruise to the nomination, but someone commissioned polling to promote a possible candidacy from Voter ID advocate Laurel Libby. She would be a generational improvement over LePage, but I hope she stays out. 

Democrat: The field includes Matt Dunlap, Jordan Wood, and perhaps Troy Jackson, who would appear to have better primary chances in the 2nd CD than for the Blaine House. Wood might as well have a carpetbagger tattoo. A strong turnout in this contest could have spillover effects in the statewide gubernatorial and U.S. Senate Democratic primary contests.