Category: Campaigns

Cutler: On the defense, or on the move?

~ Randy Seaver ~ 1 Comment

camplogo3With less than six months to go before the November election, all three of Maine’s gubernatorial candidates seem to be picking up the pace of their campaigns.

In traditional Maine politics, this sort of ramping up usually comes toward the end of summer, just ahead of a Labor Day surge that leads to an October sprint for the finish.

The early nature of this ramp up is likely tied to the results generated by two recent statewide polls, both of which show Democrat Mike Michaud and Republican Paul LePage in a statistical dead heat. Both polls also show Independent candidate Eliot Cutler in a distant third place.

The numbers from polling conducted by Rasmussen and Pan Atlantic SMS Group had to be disappointing news for Cutler and his team.

Video killed the radio star

Apparently, despite the dismal poll numbers, there is still some concern that Cutler could repeat the 2010 election results, by once again drawing from Democratic voters and giving LePage a second term with a plurality victory.

Cutler, with nothing much to lose, recently unleashed a campaign video to explain why he is NOT splitting the vote.

The video was captured during one of his campaign events in response to a question from a very young voter.

Releasing the video was a very smart move,  and it was a very dumb move.

It’s a smart move because Cutler uses video to portray confidence, leadership.

It’s a dumb move because it makes his campaign appear on the defensive some six months before the election.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFS96AJLOsw

 

Regardless of how you feel about Cutler, his campaign or the video, one thing is clear: video is an effective communication tool, especially when it comes to social media. Blogs are read, but videos go viral.

A study conducted in the United Kingdom last year showed what most of us know intuitively, yet what so many of us fail to recognize: A picture is worth a thousand words, but a short video is worth a thousand pictures.

The study showed that consumers are 27.4 times more likely to click-through online video ads than standard banners and almost 12 times more than rich media ads.

But here in Maine politics, the gubernatorial campaigns have yet to do very much in the way of integrating videos in their social media efforts.

As of this writing, the above video from Cutler (posted two days ago) has received 115 views. That does not sound good, right? Well, wait til you hear from the competition.

Mike Michaud’s campaign last released a video four weeks ago and it has received 63 views.

Paul LePage’s campaign released its last video roughly six months ago, but it generated 300 views.

Apparently, all three campaigns could use some work on producing pithy, yet compelling videos.

Another look at the numbers

On a final note, all three campaigns experienced a rather shallow 2 percent increase on their respective Facebook pages, but Michaud’s team scored an 11 percent increase in Twitter followers( 1,7111) during the past month, compared to 3 percent for LePage (1,754) and four percent for Cutler (1.377).

A little help from my friends

And just for the fun of it, I decided to see where my Facebook friends land when it comes to liking the campaigns.

I have 801 Facebook friends (though several do not live in Maine). Of those, 93 of my friends “like” Mike Michaud; 97 “like” Paul LePage; and 154 “like” Eliot Cutler.

 

How not to use social media in a campaign

~ Randy Seaver ~ 2 Comments

camplogo3There is a right way to use social media in a campaign.

And there is a wrong way to use social media in a campaign.

The following could be forgiven if it came from a political novice, but not when it comes from the governor’s re-election team.

Here’s a game you can play at home. Find the three glaring strategic mistakes that Team LePage 2014 uses in their recent Facebook post.

https://www.facebook.com/#!/mainesgov/posts/10152803304354676?stream_ref=10

1.) The post urges us to “please search for the LePage 2014 website on your computer.”

Oh, I’m not supposed to search under the table or between the seat cushions?

How about this? How about posting a link to your site? You can do that on Facebook.

Instead, the governor’s social media gurus are worried about unintended “filters” that could accompany an embedded link. So, instead they strongly suggest that you use your computer, hunt down the link and then donate.

In fact, donating must be important because they ask you to donate twice in the same paragraph, which almost looks like one giant sentence, considering the absence of punctuation.

2.) The campaign’s post is horrendously long.

Facebook is not Twitter, which requires abbreviated posts. That said, you should not use Facebook to “cut and paste” an entire speech.

A better strategy would be to hook your social media audience into your website. Use social media to tease your message and direct readers back to your website.

3.) If you must go long, give your post some space.

If you insist on your using Facebook like a blog, at least be considerate and allow readers a visual experience that doesn’t look like a bucket of spilled nails.

Insert a line space between paragraphs. Remember, if you want more people reading your posts, make your posts easier to read.

So here’s a primer for Governor LePage and his re-election team:

If you want to see Governor LePage re-elected go here and donate.

See how easy that was? Social media is supposed to be easy.

I’m not sure who is handling the governor’s social media, but from the looks of things there is plenty of room for improvement.

Social media and Maine’s gubernatorial campaign

~ Randy Seaver ~ 2 Comments

camplogo3Despite all the hoopla about the power of social media tools in political campaigns, what metrics can we use to determine if those tools are effective?

While just about anyone can set up a Twitter account or create a Facebook page, social media tools are only as effective as those who are using them.  Although it is widely accepted that social media tools played a big part in President Obama’s 2008 campaign, that type of success is not guaranteed by simply using social media as part of a campaign strategy.

When it comes to Maine’s 2014 gubernatorial race, which of the campaigns is best using social media? More importantly, how do we set aside our individual biases and evaluate the campaigns based solely upon their social media metrics?

At the Brookings Institute’s Center for Technology Innovation, Darrell West offers a mixed review regarding social media and campaign engagement and the awkward transition to actual governance.

Social media are the ultimate in disruptive technology. They change information delivery, business organization, online content, news coverage, and the manner in which individuals process new developments. As shown during the 2008 campaign, these digital tools represented a textbook example of voter mobilization and electoral impact. They were, in the words of Engage Partner Mindy Finn, the “central nervous system” of campaign organizations.

Using social networking outreach tools such as Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, and Twitter, a number of Democratic and Republican candidates raised money, identified supporters, built electoral coalitions, and brought people in closer touch with the electoral process.

You may recall a somewhat silly and lighthearted piece about Maine’s gubernatorial campaigns that I posted a couple of months ago. Then, I jokingly said we should dispense with the standard election process and use social media metrics to determine the winner. I examined each of the campaign’s current metrics.

Twitter FollowersToday, I have decided to track those metrics on a regular basis and to blog frequently about those campaigns and their use of social media.

Over the last 60 days, each of the Maine gubernatorial campaigns has been active on various social media platforms. But before we begin, it’s important to note that Democrat Mike Michaud is the latest entrant to this race. Both Governor LePage and Eliot Cutler carried over their respective social media support from the 2010 campaign.

Nonetheless, Michaud has seen the greatest increase in social media traffic, earning a 21 percent increase in the number of Twitter followers @Michaud2014, moving from 1,219 Twitter followers on January 20 to 1,475 followers as of March 20, 2014.

Although Governor LePage (@lepage2014) has the greatest number of Twitter followers (1,698) his metrics have increased only 8 percent during the same time period.

Eliot Cutler (@EliotCutler) saw a 10 percent increase in Twitter followers, from 1, 153 to 1,269 followers during the same period.

Facebook LikesOn Facebook, Cutler still dominates in the total number of Likes for his campaign page (19,824) but saw only a 4 percent increase over the last 60 days, while both Michaud and LePage experienced increases of 10 percent.

LePage’s Facebook page had 18,438 fans on March 20, compared to 16,791 fans on January 20, 2014.

Michaud’s Facebook page had 11,600 fans on March 20, compared to 10,529 fans on January 20, 2014.

When viewed overall, it would appear that Team Cutler has the steepest hill to climb, so far.

Note: Though it’s generally common knowledge, it must be noted that Twitter followers and Facebook fans do not translate directly to the number of supporters for a political candidate. As an example, I follow all three campaigns on Twitter, but will only be voting for one candidate.

Third time is the charm?

~ Randy Seaver ~ 13 Comments
Perry Aberle... Sun Chronicle Photo
Perry Aberle… Sun Chronicle Photo

While most people were picking out green outfits, drinking lots of beer or otherwise wasting time on St. Patrick’s Day, one select group of folks were bracing for potential fame and fortune as hopeful members of the 2015 Maine Legislature.

The deadline for wannabe state representatives and state senators came and went at 5 p.m. on March 17.

Given the impacts of last year’s legislative redistricting and Maine’s term limits law, voters will be faced with a healthy crop of fresh faces.

But you can always count on a few perennial candidates: those who think the next campaign will be the magic campaign, the Wonka Golden ticket that will admit them into the strata of being really important and somewhat relevant. Such is the case in Biddeford, where Perry Aberle — undaunted by two consecutive and somewhat epic campaign failures — has once again tossed his hat into the ring seeking to capture a legislative seat that eluded him two years ago by a hefty margin.

Now that he has tossed his hat into the ring again, hopefully, someone will toss him back a working razor.

Aberle won his last election nearly two decades ago, when he was still in high school and was elected to serve one term on the Biddeford City Council. Since then, his campaign skills have deteriorated.

He ran for the state legislature two years ago and was crushed by incumbent Paulette Beaudoin, the proverbial little old lady who cleaned Aberele’s clock by garnering nearly 64 percent of the vote (2,585-1,471).

A year later, Aberle brushed himself off and decided to challenge Biddeford Mayor Alan Casavant. Despite a much larger pool of voters in a city-wide election for mayor, Aberle’s vote total shrunk by more than half, and he finished a distant third in a three-way race that also included former mayor Joanne Twomey. Casavant easily won re-election with 2,377 votes, compared to 720 for Aberle.

Today, Aberle is again running as a Republican for the Maine House of Representatives in District 12, which includes the central and downtown portions of the city. He will face Biddeford businessman Martin Grohman, a Democrat, in the general election.

Will the the third try be the charm for Aberle? Don’t bank on it, would be my advice.

Over in District 11, which includes western portions of the city, Democrats Ryan Fecteau and David Flood will duke it out for their party’s nomination. The winner of that contest will face political newcomer Debi Davis, a Republican, in the November general election.

In the District 32 State Senate race, Democrat David Dutremble will once again bank on his family’s political legacy and last name recogntion to hold onto his seat for another term. Dutremble will once again be challenged by Arundel businessman James Booth who ran for the seat two years ago as an Independent. This time, Booth is running as a Republican.  Anything is possible, but Booth is facing an uphill battle in a district that historically favors Democrats.

The (not so) usual suspects

~ Randy Seaver ~ 2 Comments
David Flood
David Flood

Another Biddeford politician has thrown his hat into the ring to replace State Rep. Paulette Beaudoin in the Maine Legislature.

While some observers were thinking that newcomer Ryan Fecteau has all but clinched the June 2014 Democratic primary for the District 11 seat, it looks like voters could have several choices.

Former Biddeford city councilor and one-time mayoral candidate David Flood announced this week that he also will be running for Beaudoin’s seat, and he’s already received her endorsement.

Flood is best known in the city as the founder and publisher of the Biddeford-Saco-OOB Courier and five other weekly newspapers that he and his wife sold in 2007, only months before he won an at-large seat on the city council. In 2009, Flood lost his bid to oust Mayor Joanne Twomey, but two years later voters returned him to the city council.

Flood and Fecteau both have some advantages and challenges.

Fecteau, 21, is certainly eager and appears to have built a decent foundation for his campaign. In an unprecedented move, he publicly announced his candidacy last year.

Previously, Fecteau served on the city’s Charter Review Commission and as chair of the city’s Democratic Committee.  He has already set up a web site, social media pages and did what no other state representative candidate from Biddeford has done before: he coordinated a fundraiser and campaign event for himself in Washington, D.C., where he is a student at Catholic University of America.

Fecteau posted some photos from that Washington D.C. event and sent press releases to local newspapers. The photos show a bright-eyed kid with big dreams, holding a microphone and rallying a group of his peers who would be hard-pressed to find Biddeford on a map, never mind being able to vote for him.

Flood, 58, said he believes his experience as a successful business owner, entrepreneur and father makes him a strong candidate who understands the challenges of a struggling state economy and the real-life, day-to-day issues that impact voters. “This is an important time in our state’s history,” Flood said. “We need someone who knows what it’s like to pay taxes, to meet a payroll, to raise a family and deal with the complexities of life.”

 Flood also has Paulette Beaudoin’s endorsement, saying she called him and asked if he would consider running for the seat she now holds.

Flood is the founder of the Heart of Biddeford, a non-profit group that is working to revitalize the city’s downtown area. He also owns commercial properties on Main Street, including a previously empty building that he co-purchased and developed with Biddeford architect Caleb Johnson. Today, 265 Main Street houses Elements Cafe and other tenants, including Engine, a non-profit arts center. Earlier this year, he launched a new magazine, Innovation Maine.

Ryan Fecteau
Ryan Fecteau

“I think of myself as a newspaper guy,” Flood said. “Carolyn and I opened the Biddeford-Saco-OOB Courier on July 13, 1989. I had just turned 34, and our two sons were eight and five years old. We know what it’s like to start a business and work as hard as you can to make it work.”

By the time the Floods sold the company, it had increased to six newspapers with 28 full-time and a dozen part-time employees.

“I do not want local governments to have to raise property taxes because the state isn’t doing its job,” Flood said.  “This is an exciting time in Biddeford’s history – this is a way I can help.”

But Flood does have some challenges. Only weeks after winning his last election, he abruptly announced that he would be resigning his seat from the city council to return to the newspaper business. “It would have been a huge conflict of interest if I remained on the council,” he explained in 2011. “That opportunity came along right after the election, it’s not something I planned to do while campaigning.”

Flood’s return to the newspaper business was also short-lived, and he said he has no problems talking about that turn of events with voters.

Other Democrats who may be considering the seat include former Biddeford Mayor Joanne Twomey, who lost her primary challenge against Beaudoin two years ago; former city councilor Roch Angers and (because the district’s boundaries have changed) former State Sen. Nancy Sullivan.
 
Republican Perry Aberle is also considering another run for the seat. Aberle was trounced in his first bid for the seat by Beaudoin in 2012. A year later, in November, Aberle finished a distant third in a three-way race to be Biddeford’s next mayor.
 
District 11 was formerly known as District 135. Beaudoin held the seat for eight years and is being forced out because of term limits.
 

I get knocked down, but I get up again

~ Randy Seaver ~ 4 Comments

Here’s a post-2012 Election tip for my friends in Biddeford:

Don’t bet against Mayor Alan Casavant.

Casavant

Sure, I know…Casavant narrowly lost his bid for a fourth and final term in the Maine House of Representatives for the District 137 seat on Tuesday night.

While Republican Bill Guay certainly deserves a lot of credit for his win, it’s far too early for Casavant’s detractors to begin celebrating and waiting for his eventual ouster from the mayor’s office next year.

Why?

Because Casavant’s numbers actually showed improvement.

First, let’s remember that Casavant won his first bid for the mayor’s office in a landslide last year, capturing more than 62 percent of the vote against a well-known incumbent.

Let’s also remember that Casavant was the anti-casino candidate in a city that overwhelmingly wanted a casino, which was being championed by Casavant’s opponent.

Let’s also not forget that Casavant won three consecutive terms to the Maine House., nor forget that he trounced his House seat challenger in the June 12 Democratic Primary.

Before we get to the numbers here, it should also be noted that the city’s voters overwhelmingly rejected three proposed municipal bond projects and that the city’s taxpayers just got hit a few months ago with a heavy tax increase.

Guay

Logic would suggest that Casavant should be political toast. Under his watch, Biddeford taxpayers took a big hit.

Furthermore, House District 137 is actually composed of Biddeford’s coastal neighborhoods and the town of Kennebunkport, a Republican community if there ever was one.

Last year, when he made his first run for mayor, Casavant decimated his opponent in Ward One by earning 727 votes.

One year later, in his next bid for office, Casavant received 871 votes in Ward One, a better than 20% improvement.

In fact, when just considering the city of Biddeford, Casavant beat his opponent, 1667-1,030….nothing to sneeze at, folks.

Casavant’s detractors were overjoyed when they learned of his narrow defeat on Tuesday night. City Councilor Melissa Bednarowski clapped her hands like a little girl who just got a pony for Christmas, and fellow Democrat State Senator Nancy Sullivan — who is soon to be termed out of office and was defeated by Casavant in the June 2012 Democratic primary — chortled at her table in the Wonderbar restaurant on Election night.

Is Casavant’s loss to Bill Guay on Tuesday a sign of things to come? I asked Sullivan. “I think so,” she replied.

“Would you run against him as mayor next year?” I asked.

“I don’t know,” Sullivan replied, leaning forward from her table. “As they say, I don’t have any plans, but I’m not ruling anything out.”

It should be noted that Sullivan is certainly not happy with me, especially since I called her out earlier this year for a rather nasty attack ad she ran against Casavant during the primary.

“I remember,” she told me, her eyes narrowing on my jugular…”and I will get even.”

Wow, I thought. Here’s a woman I once described as petty and vindictive, saying she will “get even” with someone who had the temerity to criticize her.

People before politics? Hardly. Personalities above all else? You betcha.

Sullivan

Sullivan, a lifelong Democrat, would rather see a Republican win than a fellow Democrat who beat her in the primary. understandable, I suppose…sort of like former Mayor Joanne Twomey, another vindictive and particularly nasty politician from Biddeford.

In February, just months after being humiliated by Casavant in her bid for a third mayoral term, Twomey was at the city’s Democratic Caucus meeting, telling members of her party how she was the real Democrat. And here I thought she was just trying to make a political comeback by challenging fellow Democrat Paulette Beaudoin for the District 135 House seat. Democrats ultimately  stuck with Beaudoin.

And Twomey? She put up a lawn sign for Beaudoin’s Republican opponent. Hmmm…real Democrats vote for Republicans. I get it.

I wish Mr. Guay the best of luck. By all accounts, he is a decent, well-respected, hard-working man. He seems like a natural fit for a citizen Legislature.

My only advice for Mr. Guay? Watch out for some of those Biddeford Democrats! They can be vicious.

Then again, they may be some of your strongest allies.

First blood

~ Randy Seaver ~ 7 Comments

Hell hath no fury like a politician scorned, or so they say….

Enter State Senator Nancy Sullivan, the self-righteous, semi-retired English teacher who desperately wants to keep her state health insurance and can’t accept the terms of Maine’s term limits law.

Sullivan is being forced from the senate because of term limits, so now she wants to go back to Augusta as a state rep in District 137.

There’s just one little thing standing in her way: Biddeford Mayor Alan Casavant, a fellow Democrat who also happens to be the incumbent state representative in District 137.

Despite winning a landslide mayoral election in November, Casavant also wants to serve a fourth and final term in the Maine House of Representatives.

In a rare Primary election attack ad that was published in local newspapers, Sullivan questions Casavant’s commitment to both the mayor’s office and his state rep seat.

I don’t blame Sullivan for going after Casavant’s competing public service roles. Frankly, his dual roles represent one of his biggest political liabilities.

But Sullivan conveniently forgets to mention a few other things in her attack ad, which is labeled: “Being mayor is a full-time job.”

For starters, Sullivan wouldn’t know what a full-time job looks like if one jumped up and bit her in the face. Before heading off to Augusta to begin her political career, Sullivan was a middle-school English teacher in Saco.

Teachers work hard, long hours, but they also get a week of vacation during Christmas, a week of vacation in February, a week of vacation in April, and then 6-7 weeks of summer vacation from mid-June through mid-August.

Going from being a full-time teacher to being a part-time legislator doesn’t require much of a transition, if you get my drift.

Sullivan was more than happy to ignore her obligations as a “full-time” teacher to launch her political career in 1998. To her credit, she used part of her teacher pay to reimburse Saco schools for the “full-time substitute” teacher who had to take over and run her classes.

But she also enjoyed nice perks by racking up retirement funds from both positions.

Her rival is not much different. Casavant also went to Augusta during his lifelong career as a teacher at Biddeford High School. Neither Casavant nor Sullivan has held a private sector job for more than three decades.

So don’t expect Sullivan to make much noise about Casavant being both a teacher and a legislator.

Sullivan has a long history of talking out of both sides of her mouth. It’s a big mouth, so it’s not an especially remarkable feat.

In her ad, Sullivan chastises Casavant for missing three recent “School Board” meetings. Maybe someone should tell Sullivan that Biddeford does not have a school board. We have a school committee. Yup, there is a big difference between a board and subservient committee.

She also criticizes Casavant for not taking the time to more closely examine the city’s budget “in order to lessen the tax burden on citizens.”

I’m not exactly sure why an English teacher would capitalize the word “budget” in the middle of a sentence, but hey….cut her some slack. It’s been a while since Nancy was in a classroom.

There’s also this fact: there is no burden on Biddeford’s taxpayers as a result of the recently proposed budget. Umm, Nancy…this is why they call it a “proposed” budget. It will likely be re-tooled before being voted upon by the city council.

Apparently, Sullivan is very worried about this budget. It’s hard to know. I didn’t see her at Monday night’s budget workshop meeting. Casavant was there, and as I write this, he is at another budget meeting.

Sullivan also conveniently ignores the fact that Casavant has repeatedly said this proposed budget represents too much of a burden. and he will not support it as it is now proposed.

And then there is the fact that one of the biggest increases in the city’s proposed budget represents a shift of funding from the state level to the municipal level for general assistance funding.

Does Sullivan support slashing general assistance funding? Didn’t she criticize Republican Governor Paul LePage for basically the same thing?

Perhaps Sullivan would like to see the proposed increases in Biddeford’s school budget slashed. Which teachers would she like to fire? We coud certainly use her experience and savvy in this arena.

In closing out her ad, Sullivan states: “I have time for YOU!”

This confuses me. Allow me to explain why.

During each of her campaigns for the senate, I have supported Sullivan. Laura and I have donated to her campaign. I have attended her fundraising events, and I have always put her campaign signs on my lawn.

A little more than two years ago, Laura called Nancy to ask a questions and offer some perspective as a state employee about one of Governor John Baldacci’s proposed budget shifts.

Sullivan never returned the call. Laura sent an e-mail. Again, no reply from Sullivan. We also didn’t hear back from our state rep, Paulette Beaudoin.

Frustrated, Laura called Alan Casavant, a state rep in a different district. Casavant called her back the same day.

The funny thing about Sullivan’s ad is that she never mentions anything she has accomplished for the people of Biddeford. Not one thing. Nada. Zip. Zilch. Zero.

Instead, Sullivan did what she does best: full-on attack, tearing down her opponent.

After 14 years of serving Biddeford in Augusta, Sullivan can’t recall one thing she has accomplished for the people of Biddeford? Combine that with the fact that she still hasn’t been able to land a job for her husband; and you are left with a pretty dismal track record.

If you prefer petty, vindictive self-serving politicians, please vote on June 12 to send Nancy Sullivan back to Augusta for another two years…maybe then, she can actually do something for Biddeford.

I ain’t no senator’s son

~ Randy Seaver ~ Leave a comment

Steve Beaudette, a former Biddeford City Council President and State Representative, has tossed his hat into the ring to capture the District 4 State Senate Seat now held by State Sen. Nancy Sullivan.

Sullivan, who is prohibited from seeking re-election because of term limits, has declared she will seek her former House Seat (District 137), which is now occupied by Biddeford Mayor Alan Casavant.

Casavant  says he will fight to keep the seat for another term, despite being recently elected as the city’s mayor. See: Ready to Rumble?

Steve Beaudette

While serving on the city council, Beaudette challenged former Mayor Donna Dion when she ran for a second term in 1999. Beaudette lost that four-way race, which also included Rory Holland, a man now imprisoned on a double murder charge.

But Beaudette isn’t the only Democrat hoping to join the “Muffin Club.”

Biddeford firefighter and political newcomer  David Dutremble could give Beaudette a good run for his money.

Dutremble, a nephew of the late Babe Dutremble, has the distinct advantage of a very well know surname that represents a political dynasty in Biddeford. See No.6 in Biddeford-Saco’s 25 most influential political players.

Not only that, Dutremble will be using Maine’s “Clean Election” fund to help secure the win while Beaudette relies on the old-fashioned method of political fundraising with private money.

As these two well-known Democrats go head-to-head in a city dominated by Democrats, one has to wonder why the Maine GOP has yet to file even a paper candidate for the seat. Surely, they would like to keep their majority in the Maine Senate, which now includes 20 Republicans, 14 Democrats and one Unenrolled member; and any open seat coul be vulnerable.

But that’s not all, unconfirmed reports indicate that former city councilor and current school committee member Jim Emerson, another Democrat, is also considering a swing at the District 4 seat. Thus, the June Primary could get very expensive, very quickly….not that those who sell political ads and signs will mind.

To see and keep track of all the candidates who are considering a legislative seat in this year’s election, please visit the Maine Secretary of State’s web page.

It’s the end of the world as we know it (and I feel fine)

~ Randy Seaver ~ Leave a comment

In less than 24 hours, this campaign will be over, finished, completed, kaput.

Stick a fork in it, it’s done.

Volunteers gather in Alan Casavant’s kitchen on a cold October morning before our citywide door-to-door canvass.

At this juncture, there is not much left to say or do. Thus, in a pitiful attempt to keep my blog current, I have pasted below the e-mail I just sent to our campaign team. Regardless of how you feel about the issues, please get out and vote tomorrow…….

Tomorrow, the voters of Biddeford will have their say; but regardless of the outcome I have a few thoughts I wanted to share with each of you.

As I reflect over the last several weeks and months, I experience a range of emotions; and I am sure the memories will survive long after the campaign signs are packed up and the party draws to a conclusion. Tomorrow night, we will celebrate, regardless of the outcome. We will celebrate the overall experience and the amazing effort put forth on behalf of a better and brighter future for our city.

I have worked on a lot of campaigns on the federal, state and local level; yet I have never been so honored to work with such a fantastic, talented and dedicated group of individuals. None of us have received financial compensation, instead we were fueled by a passion….by a belief that Biddeford’s potential can only flourish if its people are respected and their commitments are honored.

You are all part of a diverse and unmatched group, representing each of the city’s seven voting wards. Some of you are seasoned campaign veterans; others are new to the game. Despite our differences, we came together as a team without so much as a bump. We gave our neighbors, friends and families something to talk about. We challenged the incumbent administration’s style, tone and leadership in hopes that we may make a positive difference in our community.

For that, we should all be proud. I have been consistently impressed by your dedication to this campaign, by your passion for the city we all call home and by your relentless and generous outpouring of work, sacrifice and time.

Alan Casavant will be a great mayor for Biddeford; just as he has been an outstanding state representative and one of our city’s most beloved teachers. Alan Casavant does not lead with an iron fist. Instead he inspires those around them to become more involved. He leads with intellect, compassion, humor and integrity.

I don’t care what happens tomorrow, and I only know this much to be true: This was a fight well worth fighting; and I am a better person for working with you. It was an honor and privilege to be a part of this team. I have learned something from each of you over the course of this campaign, and I have been inspired by your friendship and camaraderie.

You should all be proud of what we have accomplished. It has been an honor and a privilege to fight alongside you. Get some rest, and let’s the start the next chapter of Biddeford’s history with equal passion, drive and dedication!

Finally, make no mistake: WE WILL WIN TOMORROW NIGHT, in more ways than one.

All my best,

Randy

P.S. Please vote for Alan Casavant to be Biddeford’s next mayor.