In Maine’s gubernatorial race, Eliot Cutler’s Independent candicacy may have gotten some of his endorsers in trouble. The Portland Press Herald reports that
Sen. Dennis Damon, D-Trenton, and Rep. Leila Percy, D-Phippsburg, announced recently they are supporting Cutler for governor instead of their party’s nominee, Senate President Elizabeth Mitchell, D-Vassalboro.
Cutler is a former Carter administration official and has a history in Democratic Party politics, so the leap may not have been too great for his supporters. Still, this has raised the ire of some figures in the Maine Democratic Party.
Democrat Sam Shapiro [a former state party Treasurer] may ask his party to consider requiring its candidates to pledge to support other Democrats, now that two sitting state lawmakers have broken ranks and endorsed independent Eliot Cutler for governor.
“I think it’s a dastardly deed whenever people get elected under the flag of the Democratic Party (but support someone else),” he said. “There has to be a loyalty to that ticket.”
Cutler may be trying to change the perception that he draws only from Democrats with a new set of endorsements he has released. Several of the supporters have a history in GOP circles or held office as Republicans.
Besides Mitchell, Cutler will face Republican Paul LePage and two other independent candidates in November. We previously reported that Cutler is polling at about 7% according to Rasmussen.
responses so far ?
*1 Corey // Jul 12, 2010 at 3:10 pm
“party loyalty is a slippery slope.”
3 to the true patriot, and George Washington,
whom officed in an era of no political parties!
and then their are the Constitution Party types,
whom care so little about the Constitution!
Perhaps the Democrats should consider a Party Loyalty Oath, like those used by Republicans. We wouldn’t want anything like the good of the country or of the people to get in the way of advancing the party machine, now, would we?
party loyalty is a slippery slope. In both primaries this year, the party base has nominated individuals not favored by the undeclared voting public, and strengthened an Independent candidates chances for winning in Nov.. It is likely that niether party will realize this until after they lose to an independent. Many of us are ready to move beyond voting blindly for a party ticket. Let’s pick the best person for the job, not the lesser evil.