Ex-president Clinton backs Mitchell campaign
By Susan M. Cover scover@mainetoday.com
MaineToday Media State House Writer
AUGUSTA -- Former President Bill Clinton sent out a fundraising appeal Tuesday on behalf of Senate President Elizabeth Mitchell -- a high-profile endorsement in a gubernatorial primary that features seven Democrats.
Libby Mitchell
"I am proud to ask you to join me in helping to elect my friend, Libby Mitchell, Governor of Maine," Clinton wrote. "My trust in Libby has never been misplaced."
As president, Clinton appointed Mitchell the first woman chairman of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston.
The fundraising e-mail encourages supporters to help Mitchell meet the requirements of the state's public financing program, which means she has to turn in 3,250 qualifying contributions in the amount of $5 each. Also, she must raise at least $40,000 in seed money and could raise as much as $200,000 before she is prohibited from raising additional money.
Mitchell is one of four gubernatorial candidates working to qualify for public financing, which offers an initial $400,000 to compete in the primary. If competitors spend more than that on the primary, Clean Election gubernatorial candidates are eligible for up to $200,000 more in matching public funds.
Democrats Patrick McGowan and John Richardson and Republican Sen. Peter Mills also plan to use Clean Election funding, but none has met all of the requirements to date, said Jonathan Wayne, executive director of the Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices.
The deadline is April 1.
Other Democrats in the race -- Donna Dion, Steven Rowe, Rosa Scarcelli and Peter Truman -- are financed privately.
At this point, 24 people have expressed an interest in running for governor. The first major hurdle comes Monday, when party candidates must turn in at least 2,000 signatures to qualify for the June ballot.
Mitchell, the first woman speaker of the Maine House of Representatives, described herself as a "longtime admirer and supporter" of both the former president and his wife, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. She most recently spent time with Bill Clinton when he campaigned on behalf of his wife in Portland in 2008.
"I don't want to claim we are the closest of personal friends," she said. "At the same time, we do have the utmost respect for one another and we are professional friends."
Mitchell said she started courting support from Clinton months ago, but that the earthquake in Haiti and Clinton's health problems delayed any announcement.
The high-profile appeal from Clinton should not be interpreted as a sign that Mitchell is in danger of not qualifying for the Clean Election program, said her campaign manager, Marc Malon.
"We're going to make it there," he said. "We're not worried about it."
In the e-mail, Clinton writes that "running Clean is a challenge" and "breaking through as a woman candidate is very hard."
Maine has never had a female governor.
Politically, the endorsement from Clinton will give Mitchell a boost in the press and among loyal Democrats who hold the former president in high regard, said Jim Melcher, a political science professor from the University of Maine at Farmington.
He doesn't think Clinton's impeachment by the House while president will hurt Mitchell -- at least among primary voters.
"The kinds of people still angry at Bill Clinton and his manifold personal failings are people who wouldn't vote for Libby Mitchell anyway," Melcher said.
Candidates in the Democratic field were restrained in their reaction.
In a statement, Scarcelli said: "It's interesting news, but it doesn't change our plans or affect my campaign," she said. "We're working to win the support of Maine voters, and that's really the only endorsement that matters."
Richardson, who was traveling in Washington County, said he puts more stock in endorsements from labor unions and small-business owners.
"I think Libby is a longtime friend with the Clinton family," he said. "I'm not terribly surprised at President Clinton helping a friend."
McGowan's campaign manager, Brandon Maheu, congratulated Mitchell on the endorsement and said McGowan has "nothing but respect" for the former president.
McGowan also has ties to Clinton, who appointed him to run the Small Business Administration in New England in 1993, Maheu said.
"This doesn't change anything we're doing," he said of the Mitchell endorsement.
Rowe said he's been busy securing the support of Maine voters.
"Quite honestly, it never occurred to me to ask Bill Clinton for his endorsement," he said. "Our campaign has the support of thousands of people across the state."
Susan Cover -- 620-7015
scover@centralmaine.com
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19 COMMENTS
Jarody said...
As someone who is a clean elections candidate I can honestly say that collecting the checks is a daunting task. Also if anyone from my district would like to contribute here is the link to the state website where you can contribute. https://www5.informe.org/cgi-bin/online/ethics/cleanelection/home.pl
March 10, 2010 at 12:31 AM Report abuse
DTOM said...
Here's a peek into the mind of Libby Mitchell, the Progressive mentality, motivation, and agenda - People need to be educated on what's happening in order to understand it, and oppose it. The future of our Country, under a Progressive utopia - Part 1 and Part 2 - http://www.davidhorowitztv.com/restorationweekend/rw2009/272-opening-breakfast
March 10, 2010 at 5:39 AM Report abuse
DTOM said...
"I will continue to travel the state and listen to the concerns of all Mainers. In the meantime, I will continue to do my best to craft PROGRESSIVE legislative solutions to the challenges we face right now." http://www.dirigoblue.com/
March 10, 2010 at 5:43 AM Report abuse
WhoME said...
How many times in here more then 2 decades in Augusta has Libby Mitchell voted to increase taxes. She is the most anti-business of any of the candidates running for Gov
March 10, 2010 at 5:46 AM Report abuse
DTOM said...
The policies included in the 2010 Shared Multi-State (PROGRESSIVE) Agenda are: Paid Sick Days (Libby) More - http://www.progressivestates.org/sharedagenda
March 10, 2010 at 5:57 AM Report abuse
UofA said...
I wonder if she has ever been in the Oval Office with Mr. Clinton!
March 10, 2010 at 6:05 AM Report abuse
August1961 said...
"I wonder if she has ever been in the Oval Office with Mr. Clinton!" Why don't you ask her - face to face?
March 10, 2010 at 6:51 AM Report abuse
hawkeye said...
Anyone seen her Blue dress lately? Hmmm.
March 10, 2010 at 7:43 AM Report abuse
Buck said...
Just what this state needs more tax and spend by one of the most liberals in the world. Wake UP! We're going down for the third time. Please, please throw these d%$N democrats out this next election.
March 10, 2010 at 8:20 AM Report abuse
August1961 said...
And you, too, hawkeye and ProConserv...why don't you ask her face to face?
March 10, 2010 at 8:31 AM Report abuse
Blackacre said...
Not unexpected, given their past political relationship. However, Libby Liberal is a far-leftist, while Bill eventually became a centrist - but only after Hillarycare was soundly rejected.
March 10, 2010 at 8:40 AM Report abuse
IMPistov said...
Is she going to help him "humidify" his cigars?
March 10, 2010 at 9:28 AM Report abuse
ProConserv said...
Maybe Congressman Massa can write her a letter of recommendation as well...LOL!
March 10, 2010 at 10:17 AM Report abuse
Myview said...
Impeachable Bill, I'm don't know why anyone would want his backing. If our senators had not felt he was above the law he would have been impeached.
March 10, 2010 at 11:13 AM Report abuse
Myview said...
Impeachable Bill, I don't know why anyone would want his backing. If our senators had not felt he was above the law he would have been impeached.
March 10, 2010 at 11:15 AM Report abuse
Scholar said...
Libby Mitchell is just another in a long line of good ol' boy D's who have played the political game in order to take their turn at winning a bigger election. As head of the Govt. Oversight Committee who regularly praised the work of OPEGA, she was quick to offer up OPEGA when Baldacci was looking for the $1 million Karen Baldacci's pet Waterville pre-school education project needed from the state to get off the ground. Mitchell can talk the talk but she walks quite differently than she talks.
March 10, 2010 at 12:19 PM Report abuse
ProConserv said...
Her picture alone makes me want to vomit!
March 10, 2010 at 12:30 PM Report abuse
francis58 said...
I must laugh about this Endorsement from Billary' fact is along with Peter Mills ,Libby voted to raise the limit from 2500 $5;00 checkes to 3250. How Ironic that Libby who as I have been told is nearly on the Ropes because she has not been able to garner enough checks. Well let's wait and see if her ploy works like Jim Libby's plow when he was advised by Jeff Butland to have an article in the Press hearald saying he to was in desperate need of the Checks, also I hear Barney mcGowan and son Patrick are paying $10;00 per five dollar check recieved and they were at last count at 2100 .If one really wants to figure out how to get the checks in the least ammount of Time .look at the John Michael & Richard Begin modelfor obtaining the checks. Those two created a plan that garnered nearly 2500 checks in less than five weeks.
March 10, 2010 at 9:51 PM Report abuse
francis58 said...
Libby you had better keep your Ears to the ground,what's that did you say you are hearing Footseps? O K Libby I see you have hired an Old Indian Tracker.From my vantage Point on this Butte it looks like Chief Elliot Cutler Yep he also hears those footsteps of Rosa' Beware Libby Rosa like the Weather system in the Perfect Storm is coming on and Libby she's coming on Strong.
March 10, 2010 at 10:00 PM Report abuse