Angus King, former Independent Governor of ME will run for Senate

[WI_DEM]

Former Maine Gov. Angus King (I) plans to announce tonight that he is going to run for the U.S. Senate, the Portland Press Herald reports.

"A run by King as an independent for the seat being vacated by GOP Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine is sparking fears among some Democrats that the socially liberal former two-term governor could siphon off enough votes from a Democratic Senate nominee to throw the election to the GOP candidate."

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2012/03/05/king_will_run_for_senate_in_maine.html

[dmallind]

1. Other than the name know nothing of him. How bad? nt

[elleng]

2. Or might he be the best candidate, substance-wise?

(I realize we could use the D to maintain the majority.)

[WI_DEM]

3. unless he takes independent votes from the dem and allow the GOP to win

otherwise if he wins and caucuses with the Dems that would be better than nothing, but I think he helps the GOP more than the democrats in a three way race.

[rtassi]

4. He and Chellie should talk before a repete of the Govenors race happens ...

[elleng]

9. Right. Think that might happen,

those 2 talking?

[elleng]

6. Might do that in a three-way race, I guess. ;-(

From what I remember about him, he'd essentially be a Dem, similar to Bernie, if he wins. (My recollection is from a distance; I've never lived in Maine.)

[DemocracyInaction]

5. I'm a Mainer

Friend is running for Pingree house seat if she runs....had talk with her this weekend & she says she won't run if King gets into race. King is well liked & would split Dem vote and we will get a teabagger just the way we got asswipe present governor.

[elleng]

7. That's tough, for Maine Dems and Dem party, eh?

Absolutely can't afford a Maine teabagger.

[WI_DEM]

8. do you think King would caucus with the dems or the GOP if he won?

[NWHarkness]

10. He would almost certainly caucus with the Dems

But, it's a moot point if he enables the Republicans to sneak by in a three way race.

[mainer]

11. He is philosophically a Dem

I like him, but I'm not entirely sure this is a good thing because there are some good Dems running, too. But if King jumps in, I think he'll win.

[DemocracyInaction]

12. Mainer (from fellow Mainer)

Did you see Ethan Strimley (sp??) Tonight? He said what I posted above.....that he could be big spoiler and get the repukes in!!!! My God, can you see one of LePage teabaggers in the seat!!!!

[mainer]

16. Which means that if Angus runs... we need to band together and not get splintered.

and decide if Angus is our man.

[DemocracyInaction]

14. he is good buddy of Pingree

..who is our dem Rep in House

[peacefreak]

13. Angus King was a pretty decent governor.

Independent in the best sense of the word. When he was governor he refused to move into Blaine House, but rather stay in his family home. Very green.

[earthside]

18. Don't know Maine's laws ...

... but wouldn't it be great if Democrats and King independents could run Angus as a fusion candidate?

[Selatius]

17. What sucks about the two-party system is that we're forced to oppose like-minded people.

He doesn't seem like a bad guy, but because he won't play ball as a Democrat, he's shitlisted for the fact that he could throw the race to the Republican insanity guy. If only there were such things as elections where if more than two people run, there would be something like a run-off election. Gosh, I wonder why such a system doesn't exist in the US.

[dsc]

19. It does throughout much of the South

but that was largely to be sure that a candidate couldn't win with solely black votes.