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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.

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"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