| 🗞 The Daily Brief is made possible by Bangor Daily News subscribers. Support the work of our politics team and enjoy unlimited access to everything the BDN has to offer by subscribing here. |
|
| 📷 Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, pauses Wednesday during a hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington to examine the president's budget request for the National Park Service. (AP photo by Carolyn Kaster) |
|
❓ A Maine senator is among the undecided on the labor secretary nominee.
◉ Politico had intel over the weekend on President Joe Biden's battle to confirm Julie Su as labor secretary. Her nomination is in some danger as five more centrist members of the Senate Democratic caucus hold out, including independent Angus King of Maine.
◉ Su, a deputy U.S. labor secretary who once held the top labor position in California, has faced criticism from Republicans who perceive her as too close to unions. None of the Democratic caucus members have said they will not vote for her. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-West Virginia, is the most in question since he has grown more critical of the Biden administration in recent weeks.
◉ White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients as well as Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm have been leaning on the holdouts in recent weeks, Politico reported. King generally supports Biden and his policies but once blocked a nominee for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives who was opposed by gun-rights groups.
1️⃣ There is less than a month before an interesting Maine election.
◉ A fascinating June 13 election for a vacant House seat on the Midcoast between former Reps. Abden Simmons, R-Waldoboro, and Wendy Pieh, D-Bremen, is heading into crunch time. The seat was vacated by former Rep. Clinton Collamore, D-Waldoboro, earlier this year after he pleaded not guilty to signature fraud charges related to the Clean Election program.
◉ It is a good opportunity for Republicans, who hold a healthy advantage in the district by party registration despite Collamore's win there in November. However, the minority party in Augusta is on a long losing streak in these kinds of competitive legislative special elections, not winning in any closely divided district since 2015.
◉ Early indicators are good for Republicans. Simmons raised nearly $16,000 through April 25, much of it from party lawmakers, according to state filings. Pieh only had $1,000 in seed money under the Clean Election program around that time. Outside spending has only come so far from the Maine Republican Party, which has tossed in $5,000 for ads and materials helping Simmons.
◉ But Democrats have the financial advantage in state politics, spending nearly three times more in outside money than Republicans in 2022 legislative races. We should see more spending by the time this is over. |
|
📱Want daily texts from me tipping you to political stories before they break?
Get Pocket Politics. It is free for 14 days and $3.99 per month if you like it. |
|
What we're reading
🤷 Sanford's influx of asylum seekers highlights the lack of a statewide plan.
🎥 Few films set in Maine are actually shot here. They want to fix it.
🌞 Rising solar subsidy costs prompt a heated debate, Maine Public reports.
🔋 A drill battery failure caused the truck explosion near the Blaine House.
🌲 This Maine woman hikes naked. Here's your soundtrack. |
|
| 💰 Want to advertise in the Daily Brief? Write our sales team. |
|
|
|
