Maine gubernatorial election, 2006

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The Maine gubernatorial election of 2006 was held on November 7, 2006. Incumbent Democratic candidate John Baldacci was re-elected and will serve a second term, from 2007 to 2011.

The primary election was held on June 13, 2006. Baldacci faced opposition from Christopher Miller, and won 76% of the primary vote. Republican State Senator Chandler Woodcock was the winner of a three-way race for the Republican nomination with 39% of the vote, defeating his more moderate rivals Peter Mills and David Emery.

In the general election, Baldacci and Woodcock squared off, along with Independents Barbara Merrill and Phillip Napier, and Green Independent Party candidate Pat LaMarche.

Early in the campaign, it became clear that Baldacci's fundraising prowess would be severely compromised by his rivals. Woodcock, Merrill and LaMarche all qualified for Maine's optional public financing system, giving them close to equal financial footings.^{[citation needed]}

It also quickly became clear that no candidate could take votes for granted. Merrill, who was elected to her state representative seat as a Democrat, and LaMarche, were both seen as threats to split Baldacci's base of support.

Woodcock lost key support among moderate Republicans due mainly to his socially conservative positions on gay rights, abortion, and Creationism^{[citation needed]}. Although he was strongly endorsed by Peter Mills, his moderate rival for the Republican nomination, other key Republicans abandoned his campaign. These include Bowdoin College Government professor and Republican strategist Christian Potholm, who took a job with the Baldacci campaign.

Woodcock tried to change the subject to taxes and the economy, which Republicans believed would resonate better with voters. Woodcock was the only major candidate to support the tax control ballot referendum, the Taxpayer Bill of Rights, a measure that was ultimately defeated.

Baldacci, Merrill and LaMarche stressed economic development strategies other than cutting taxes. Baldacci touted the states new and successful community college system, as well as DirigoChoice, his health care initiative. Merrill proposed a rail link to Montreal which would be paid for by having slot machines on the train. LaMarche touted universal health care as a long-term boon to the Maine economy.

Baldacci won the election with 38% of the vote; Woodcock placed second with 30%. Merrill earned 21%, narrowly defeating Baldacci among unenrolled voters. [1] LaMarche finished with 10%, enough to maintain ballot access for the Green Party.

In an interesting note, the two major-party candidates' combined vote total was less than that received by Republican U.S. Senator Olympia Snowe in her bid for re-election.

[edit] Candidates

[edit] Democratic Party

• John Baldacci - Incumbent Governor, Former Congressman (campaign site)

[edit] Lost Primary

• Christopher Miller - Internet Service Provider & Ex-Solar Home General Contractor

[edit] Republican Party

• Chandler E. Woodcock - State Senator (former Assistant Senate Minority Leader), Baptist minister, and high school teacher (campaign site)

[edit] Lost Primary

• Dave Emery - former Congressman
• Peter Mills - State Senator, former State Representative, and attorney

[edit] Green Independent Party

• Pat LaMarche - Businesswoman, Radio Talk Show Host, '04 VP Nominee & '98 Nominee (campaign site)

[edit] Independents

• Bruce Flemming (Write-In) - Independent Book Publishing Company Owner (campaign site)
• Alex Hammer (Write-In) - Publisher (campaign site)
• Barbara Merrill - State Representative - Author (campaign site)
• Phillip Morris Napier - USAF Veteran & Felons United Founder & '02 Candidate

[edit] Withdrew

• David Jones - Developer (campaign site); withdrew after failing to secure public financing
• John Michael - Ex-State Rep., Businessman, Ex-Democrat & '02 Candidate; withdrew after failing to secure public financing

[edit] Results

[edit] General Election

Election results by county (wrong; Baldacci carried Kennebec County, the sothernmost red county, and Woodcock carried Piscataquis County, the roughly rectangular blue just east of the more easterly of the western two red counties, so the colors of those two counties should be reversed).

[edit] Primary Election

[edit] Polling

[edit] See also

• U.S. gubernatorial elections, 2006