Let’s cut to the chase: if Democrats are serious about
winning back the Blaine House this year, then they’ll vote for Adam Cote in the
June 12th primary.
As a candidate, Adam is proposing a progressive and
transformative agenda: the establishment of a human capital investment
fund (to ensure continuous/effective workforce training), job creation that
targets every corner of the state, a single-payer healthcare system, and a
determination to see Maine powered 100% by renewable energy within ten years (which
would ensure good jobs and the prospect of becoming the nation’s first
renewable energy “exporter”). These are only a few highlights of a
comprehensive program.
Adam has demonstrated leadership skills over the course of 20
years with the Maine Army National Guard serving in Bosnia, Iraq, and
Afghanistan, and 16 years in the private sector as a small business
entrepreneur and Renewable Energy attorney. He’s not likely to be
impacted by rhetorical headwinds in Augusta.
Throughout the course of the primary campaign, at candidate events
and forums, there’s been an expectation shared by a number of people that Janet
Mills--by virtue of her lengthy tenure in Augusta--”deserves” to be the
Democratic party standard-bearer, that it’s “her turn”. I assumed we were
participating in an election, not a coronation.
I was, of course, pleased to see Attorney General Mills butt heads with
the Governor on several issues (among them the availability of Naloxone, and
the use of tobacco settlement funds for Medicaid expansion); it’s reassuring
when a public servant does his or her job on behalf of the people.
However, I worry that independents Alan Caron or Terry Hayes, and
whichever LePage wanna-be the Republicans anoint, will have plenty of issues to
choose from in attacking Ms. Mills should she win the primary. For example,
until the NRA recently provided her a lifeline by “awarding” all 7 Democrats an
“F” grade--prior to this Ms. Mills had consistently been given “A” grades.
She’s simply not qualified to lead on gun issues. Likewise, her record on matters involving
tribal sovereignty--specifically clean water issues, demonstrates positions
more in line with Governor LePage than with mainstream Democrats. However, what concerns me most is her failure
to put distance between herself from the disgraced former NY State Attorney
General Eric Schneiderman. He hosted a lucrative fundraising event for
Ms. Mills in Manhattan, and--to my knowledge--she has yet to return the
thousands of dollars the event netted her. Hardly a #MeToo moment.
Adam Cote is a fresh face on the political scene. He
offers new leadership, and he's not weighed down by "baggage". His broad appeal will help bridge
differences, and facilitate a genuine discussion of the issues. Maine voters
deserve no less.
I had the good fortune of getting to know Adam for a short while,
and I learned that his honesty is rooted in integrity, not in some political
strategy. This quality of character won’t vanish once he’s in the Blaine
House, but it’s up to each of us to make sure he gets there.
Vote Adam Cote for Governor on June 12th!
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