Americans for Responsible Solutions, a political action committee that advocates for stricter gun control measures, announced Tuesday that former Arizona Congresswoman Gabby Giffords and her husband, astronaut Mark Kelly, will visit Portland on July 6 to rally support for legislation to expand federal background check mandates for firearms purchases. The Portland visit will be one […]

The expected stampede of candidates to run in Maine’s 2nd U.S. House District triggered by Rep. Mike Michaud’s announcement Thursday that he’s exploring a foray into the 2014 gubernatorial race began Friday, when state Sen. Emily Cain formally declared her intent to seek the congressional seat. One legislator who won’t join the 2nd District scramble […]

Nine days before the Maine Legislature’s scheduled adjournment date, June 19, the House and Senate settled in Monday for morning, afternoon and evening sessions. It’s not as grueling as sweat-boiling double sessions at National Football League training camps — or the Appropriations Committee’s budget-balancing stretch run — but lawmakers, legislative staff and State House observers […]

Steve Woods, the only Democrat to declare formally for the 2014 gubernatorial race, wants Maine Democratic Party leaders to urge U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud, the party’s most talked-about potential candidate, to make up his mind by June 10. Woods, who filed with the Maine Ethics Commission as a candidate for governor in January, planned to […]

The latest fix for Maine political junkies fixated on the 2014 governor’s race came Wednesday when Critical Insights, a Portland-based polling firm, released its semi-annual trend-tracking survey. Polls this far before an election offer little more than conversation starters, but the Critical Insights results highlighted the magnitude of Republican Gov. Paul LePage’s influence on Mainers’ […]

A national Republican campaign organization took steps Friday to capitalize in Maine on the controversy surrounding revelations that the Internal Revenue Service placed greater scrutiny on conservative groups seeking nonprofit status. The National Republican Congressional Committee announced Friday that it would begin running online ads urging U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud to return campaign contributions he […]

The Legislature’s Taxation Committee voted unanimously Tuesday against two bills that called for tax increases on  tobacco products. One bill, LD 1406, proposed hiking the state cigarette tax from $2 to $3.50 per pack. A second bill, LD 1326, aimed to increase the tax on all tobacco products, including cigars, rolling tobacco and chewing tobacco, […]

Independent Eliot Cutler, who lost a close race to Republican Gov. Paul LePage in 2010, is “considerably closer to making a formal announcement later this year” that he will run for governor again in 2014, according to an email issued Thursday by his campaign organization. The email states that Cutler has been meeting with Mainers […]