Former mayor, state representative and city councilor Joanne Twomey announced Sunday that she would seek a return to the Maine House of Representatives.
At the Biddeford Democratic caucus, Twomey told a sparse group of fellow Democrats that Dist. 135 needs a “real” Democrat to stand up to Republicans in Augusta.
Twomey also said that she encouraged Rep. Paulette Beaudoin to seek the Dist. 135 seat four years ago, but decided that Beaudoin was either unwilling or unable to stand up to Republicans and should be replaced.
Joanne Twomey: A “real” Democrat?
Funny thing is: Twomey was not worried about Beaudoin’s performance until she lost her re-election bid for the mayor’s seat. Now Twomey needs a job. Now she is ready to fight Republicans and Democrats and anyone else who gets between her and her need for health insurance at taxpayer expense.
A video from the Biddeford-Saco Courier:
Joanne likes to talk about her “no-compromise/principled” position.
But does that hold water?
1,) The woman who once bemoaned the idea of a casino in Biddeford — testifying before the Biddeford City Council in 2003 by saying — “In my Christmas village, there is no casino,” suddenly flipped when she got herself into a budget pinch, and she quickly became a cheerleader for a proposed casino. Principled? Really?
2.) The woman who built her political career on the backs of criticizing the owners of the MERC facility was giving them hugs in front of news cameras just two weeks before the 2009 mayoral election.
Just a few weeks later, after winning re-election as mayor, Twomey once again reversed her position. Principled? Really?
3.) On Sunday, during Biddeford’s Democratic caucus, Twomey said she encouraged State Rep. Paulette Beaudoin to run for the legislative seat that Twomey held until term limits forced her out in 2006. Now, Twomey says the people of District 135 need a “real” Democrat.
For such a principled person who professes to believe in the people, Twomey does not hesitate to play political hardball, but her victim routine is wearing thin.
It’s probably why Biddeford voters threw her out of office by an overwhelming margin in November. You can only fool people for so long.
But there’s also another reason Twomey lost by a 62-38 margin: She did very little campaigning.
Maybe she was overly confident. Maybe she was tired. Maybe she thought the city’s strong support for a proposed racino would ensure her easy re-election.
Twomey is a political quaqmire. On the one hand, she is a savvy politician. On the other, she is ruled by her emotions.
But this time, it looks like she is in this campaign to win. She’s accepting help from Ryan Fecteau, an eager beaver youngster with a solid grasp of 21st Century campaign techniques.
Twomey will likely do well in the Democratic primary against Beaudoin, a post-70-year-old woman who isn’t much of a campaigner and has never been challenged by her own party.
Former Biddeford City Councilor Perry Aberle, a man who describes himself as a “friend of Joanne,” is considering running as a Republican in District 135. If Twomey wins the Democratic Primary on June 12, Aberle will have his work cut out for him.
As I predicted on November 8, 2011, Joanne Twomey is far from done in Biddeford politics.
You know, . . .the humble Tom Clancy character who routinely saved the world from a cadre of evil forces while also writing a thesis about the importance of granola in the post-Soviet socio-economic structure.
Ryan Gavin
But what about the other guys named Ryan? The ones who were born in 1992 and grew up in Biddeford?
One of them made a short-lived bid to be Biddeford’s mayor, and the other one is wreaking havoc with the city charter.
Both Ryan Gavin and Ryan Fecteau are all of 20 years old, and, make no mistake: they are politically ambitious.
Nearly a year ago, Ryan Gavin, fresh off the heels of learning how to shave and graduating from high school, decided he was the most qualified person to become Biddeford’s next mayor.
After all, Gavin had all sorts of experience built up after serving two terms as an un-elected student representative on the Biddeford School Committee and a valid driver’s license.
Sadly, he was more qualified than many others who tried to become the city’s mayor. Karl Reed’s 2009 campaign comes to mind.
Ryan Gavin put on his best Sunday suit and a pair of sunglasses to make his public announcement from the back stairs of City Hall on a weekend afternoon.
Sadly, the media actually covered this event that included 11 people listening to a kid who looked an awful lot like John Belushi’s character from the Blues Brothers.
Jake was on a mission from God. Ryan was on a mission to save Biddeford from the clutches of Darth Vader, more commonly known ’round here as former mayor Joanne Twomey.
Gavin was smart enough to remove his sunglasses halfway through his press conference.
He was also smart enough to quickly figure out he had a snowball’s chance in hell of ever getting elected in a city brimming with old people who vote like clock-work.
Ryan Gavin eventually became an important part of Alan Casavant’s mayoral campaign team.
Let’s pause for just a moment and give out a shout-out to Ryan Gavin’s parents.
If I could be half the parent that Ryan’s parents were, I would be thrilled and could die feeling as if I accomplished something decent in my lifetime.
Ryan was an exceptional student at BHS. He is, today, an exceptional student at UMO.
He is polite, smart, articulate and — unlike many of his peers — he not only cares about what is going on in the world around him, he’s also willing to step up and fight for it.
Ryan Fecteau
All of which brings us to our next point: Ryan Fecteau, a 2010 graduate of Biddeford High School who also served as a student representative on the School Committee.
In November, Fecteau began what will probably be a long and notable political career by actually winning an election.
Fecteau was one of five people elected to serve as a commissioner on the city’s charter review commission, a previously described group of dorks who want to sit around and debate whether the city’s bylaws should include more semicolons.
There were seven slots available and only five candidates on the ballot, so it’s not like Fecteau proved himself to be a tactical genius.
But you still have to respect a kid who is willing to tinker with the city’s charter when most young men his age are doing more important things like getting laid or drinking beer.
But not everyone in Biddeford is happy about Ryan Fecteau’s grand plans for Biddeford.
In fact, during last weekend’s downtown winter festival, I heard some people complain that Fecteau is actually living in Washington DC and is unable to attend the charter meetings in person. I wish I had figured out how to do that.
His critics also said he was trying to ram through “a lot of stupid ideas.”
So, I picked up the phone and called him, half-expecting to get his receptionist who would politely tell me that Congressman Fecteau was in a meeting with the Secretary of Commerce but appreciates my concerns and will have a form letter sent to me.
Actually, Fecteau is a sophomore at Catholic University of America, and it should come as no surprise that he is studying political science.
Fecteau said he saw an opportunity to get more involved in Biddeford politics, and he seized it.
“It’s a rare opportunity, even though we had a charter commission five years ago, who knows when I would have another chance to do this work,” he said.
When asked his opinion about the city’s police and fire commissions (two of the charter’s more controversial items), Fecteau said he would like to see the two combined, if not eliminated.
So far, so good. The city of Biddeford has more commissions and committees than the state of New York.
Fecteau also says he will only miss one more of the commission’s seven monthly meetings.
“The telephone is not a new invention,” he patiently explained to this over-40 geezer.
Asked to explain one of his recent Facebook posts in which he described Joanne Twomey as “a real Democrat” when compared to State Rep. Paulette Beaudoin, also a Democrat who may be challenged for her seat by Twomey in the June 12 primary, Fecteau chose his words carefully.
“I don’t agree with Joanne on everything,” he said. “Paulette is my neighbor, and we’ve had many, many conversations. The Democratic Party has a plank for a reason. I just think Joanne would be a better advocate for many of the party’s core issues.”
Again, so far…so good, but then we started talking about one of his new ideas.
Fecteau would like to see voting day moved to Saturdays instead of Tuesdays. He thinks such a move will increase voter turnout, completely forgetting that such a move would require Biddeford voters to go to the polls twice in one week: once for state and national elections, and then again for local elections.
“Yeah, I guess that’s an idea that needs more work,” he conceded.
I also told him Saturday voting would infringe upon the voting rights of normal college sophomores who spend the bulk of their weekends drinking beer and getting laid.
But for all you old farts who think these young punks ought to learn how to tie their shoes before running around and changing our government, you ought to take another sip of your Geritol and consider this:
There was a young punk from Bangor who got elected to his city council at the age of 23 before becoming one of the youngest state senators in the Maine Legislature. That little twirp named Johnny went on to serve in the U.S. Congress before becoming Maine’s 73rd governor.
On the other side of the political aisle, another young punk from Bangor became the youngest person to ever get elected to the Maine Legislature. Tarren Bragdon, former CEO of the Maine Heritage Policy Center, has had a big impact on Maine politics and public policy.
And no one should forget the impacts of two of our nation’s youngest presidents, Republican Teddy Roosevelt (42) and Democrat John F. Kennedy (43). Of course, Roosevelt was not elected at 42 because he was sworn-in after President McKinley was assassinated, but still . . . the U.S. Constitution says you can be president when you’re 35; a senator once you hit 30 or a member of the House at age 25.
Congressman Fecteau?… it’s not as implausible as you may think.
If you or someone you know was hoping to make Gov. Paul LePage’s visit to Biddeford a big part of your Valentine’s Day plans, I hope you have a Plan B.
According to Mayor Alan Casavant, the governor had a scheduling conflict and rescheduled his visit to March 5.
Casavant said he is still looking forward to the governor’s visit, but our sources tell us that former Mayor Joanne Twomey will likely be very disappointed by the rescheduling.
“Randy you and Allen (sic) are very wrong, I am looking forward to seeing Governor LePage, you forget I met him when I was Mayor and asking him to bring jobs to Biddeford. Not only will I shake his hand, I will give him a big hug and tell him he should have a heart on Valentine’s Day…”
It looks like Twomey’s big hug will have to wait at least a couple more weeks.
That extra time may give Twomey the time she needs to complete her filing papers and gather signatures for her bid to oust fellow Democrat Paulette Beaudoin for the House District 135 seat.
Some of Twomey’s strongest supporters tell us they have been receiving conflicting information from Twomey about whether she will actually file and run a primary campaign.
I’ve got even money that says Twomey may swing for the bleachers and instead set her eye on the increasingly crowded field in State Senate District 4.
Democrats Stephen Beaudette (a former state rep. and city councilor); David Dutremble, a Biddeford firefighter; and Jim Emerson, a school committee member and former city councilor, have all indicated they want their party’s nomination in the June 12 primary.
As of today, no Republican candidate has surfaced, but James Booth of Arundel has filed as a un-enrolled candidate, virtually guaranteeing a spot for his name on the November ballot since he does not need the blessing of a political party during the primary election.
All candidates for the Legislature must file their paperwork and signatures with the Maine Secretary of State’s office no later than March 15.
Thus, there’s a reason for the centuries-old adage, Beware the ides of March. Translated for my friend Brian Keely: the “ides of March” is March 15, the date when Caesar was allegedly murdered by several members of the Roman Senate, including his ally, Brutus.
If you don’t know anything else about Biddeford politics, you ought to know about the Dutremble family, one of the city’s most prolific, political families.
For more than 50 years, the Dutremble family has been — in one way or another — deeply entrenched in local political circles.
State Sen. David Dutremble
Lucien “Babe” Dutremble, one of 13 children, never lost an election during a political career that included several terms on the city council, six terms in the Maine House of Representatives, the mayor’s office and serving as a York County Commissioner. Babe’s brother, Richard, was a York County Sheriff. Babe’s son, Richard, today serves as a York County commissioner.
Just as Babe’s political career was winding down, his second eldest son was making a name for himself. Dennis “Duke” Dutremble served several terms in the Maine Senate before being tapped as the senate president. But he retreated from the public spotlight after losing his bid to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Flash forward nearly two decades, and yet another Dutremble is making a foray into the city’s political establishment, banking on his family’s legacy and his “outsider” perspective.
David Dutremble is a lieutenant in the Biddeford Fire Department, the youngest of Babe Dutremble’s nephews, and is now a candidate for the District 4 State Senate seat.
Despite his legacy name and strong local connections, David is facing some challenges on the road to Augusta.
1.) A crowded primary field could split the city’s Democratic base and allow someone like businessman James Booth of Arundel to take the seat as a unenrolled candidate. Booth, a native of the neighboring city of Saco, is the son of former Saco Mayor Haley Booth and served on the Saco City Council.
2.) Expect his primary opponents (which could include former State Rep. Stephen Beaudette and former city councilor James Emerson) to question whether Dutremble can effectively balance his city job as a firefighter while serving in the State Senate.
Furthermore, we were stunned that David has yet to seek the counsel of his cousins, Duke Dutremble and County Commissioner Richard Dutremble.
CAN’T WE JUST GET ALONG?
David Dutremble graduated from Biddeford High School in 1985. Since 1988, he has been a Biddeford firefighter. He and his wife, Charlene, have five children.
Why jump into the fray for a state senate seat without any prior political experience?
“Honestly, I would have gone into local politics a long time ago, but the city’s charter prevents city employees from holding municipal offices. Initially, I was thinking about running for the House until I talked to Alan [Casavant] and found out he is hoping to keep his seat.”
You have all the political muscle you need, given your last name.
(Laughs) “It’s an intimidating last name, you know in local politics…absolutely, but it also carries a lot of expectations.”
Aren’t you busy enough. Why run for public office?
“I think we need more people in Augusta who can reach across the political divides. I think government has a responsibility to do good things for the people. Government should be creating an atmosphere that promotes economic development.”
You sound a little like a Republican.
(Laughs) “I’m a life-long Democrat, but I think both parties want to see Maine succeed. It’s time to stop all the political bickering and blame. It’s time to think about the people we serve. I don’t care who gets credit, as long as we do good things for the people.
“When my kids grow up, I want them to have the same opportunities I had. My step son had to move out west to find a good job. I think that’s really sad. It bothers me to see local kids miss out on the same opportunities we had growing up here.”
How can you be a firefighter and a state senator at the same time?
“I’ll use vacation time, and swap time. I’ve already run it past the guys in the department. I know I have support and we can swap shifts to accommodate my schedule.”
You haven’t talked to Duke about your decision to seek his old senate seat?
(Laughs) “He’s in Florida for the winter. I sent him an e-mail on Facebook, but I haven’t heard back. Maybe he doesn’t check his Facebook.
On a scale of 1-10, how would you rank Governor LePage’s performance?
(Pauses) “I’d probably give him a four. I just think his priorities are out of whack…like going after the labor mural.”
Same scale for President Obama?
“I’d say a 7. No matter who won in 2008, it was a no-win situation for our economy, whether we elected a Republican or Democrat. I don’t think we would be any better off if John McCain had won. I think President Obama has done a decent job.”
Do you really think you can change the political dynamic of partisan bickering?
“Yes, but you have to start small. People used to say that women would never be able to vote. We used to say that a black man would never drive the bus. I believe things can change for the better. I think elected leaders just need to focus on working in collaboration to solve problems.
Biddeford Democrats are off to the races, joining an increasingly crowded smackdown for their party’s nomination to replace term-limited Nancy Sullivan in State Senate District 4, which includes Biddeford, Kennebunk, Kennebunkport and Arundel.
While area Republicans seem to be snoozing, at least three familiar names will likely appear on ballots during the June 12 primary:
Former State Rep. Stephen Beaudette, the establishment’s favorite, will run as a privately financed candidate, taking on:
Former City Councilor and current School Committee member Jim Emerson, running as a Clean Election candidate; and
A political newcomer with an iconic family name is also in the race and will run as a Clean Election candidate. Biddeford firefighter David Dutremble is the nephew of the late Lucien “Babe” Dutremble, a beloved politician who never lost an election and served several terms as both the city’s mayor and as a state representative. Babe was also a former county commissioner and city councilor.
For your convenience, we have posted a chart of the Dutremble family tree, something David’s opponents will want to study very closely during the weeks ahead.
Come on, don’t tell me you didn’t see this one coming.
That’s right, word on the street, yet unconfirmed, is that former mayor Joanne Twomey is at least contemplating a bid to recapture her former District 135 House seat, and may challenge the incumbent, fellow Democrat Paulette Beaudoin for a chance to take on Republican Perry Aberle in November. So far, Twomey has not registered as a candidate with the Maine Secretary of State’s office.
Joanne Twomey: Portland Press Herald Photo
If this plays out like I predict, it will be the trifecta of disgruntled Democrats in Biddeford.
For those of you playing at home, here’s the run down of Democrat on Democrat for the city’s three State House Seats.
District 135: Joanne Twomey may face incumbent Paulette Beaudoin, a sweet, little old lady who just wants a fourth and final term.
Twomey got trounced just a few weeks ago, when Biddeford voters overwhelmingly rejected her bid for a third consecutive term in the mayor’s office, but she is a fierce campaigner and that, combined with her name recognition, could spell serious trouble for Beaudoin. If Joanne is able to re-assemble her kitchen cabinet, look out!
I have been watching Biddeford politics for more than a decade, and this seems like a first. The GOP must be loving it, and the Dems in Augusta better break out the riot gear. This is one primary you won’t want to miss.
I should have seen it coming, but now it’s official:
Biddeford City Councilor Bob “Bobby Bear” Mills is once again running for elected office.
After all, it’s been 12 long weeks since he last campaigned for office, so why not?
On January 26, Mills announced to the world that he will be challenging fellow Democrat State Rep. Megan Rochelo for her District 136 State House Seat in the June Democratic Primary. At last count, there are only three registered Republicans in District 136, so this Democrat duel could be a bloodbath.
Bobby Mills
On his Facebook page, Mills said he is running on his “strong record of civil and community service,” which must include his previous bids to be the governor and a York County Commissioner, races in which he lost by bigger margins than Walter Mondale’s bid to oust Ronald Reagan in 1984. (Mondale won only one state in that election)
But this time, things are looking up for the affable and cuddly councilor from Ward 5.
In fact, Mills is, so far, running an impressive campaign. Fresh off the heels of winning a third consecutive term on the Biddeford City Council by defeating Tammy Ackerman (one of Rochelo’s best friends), he has put together an impressive campaign machine. But he does have a few problems.
According to the Maine Secretary of State’s office, he has raised no money. But here’s the good news: he also has not spent any money. Such a wise and balanced fiscal approach is exactly what we need in Augusta during these times of austerity.
Mills will be running as a privately financed candidate in the city’s most economically disadvantaged legislative district. That, combined with the fact that he is seeking to knock off an incumbent fellow Democrat in the June primary, means that he should start buying a lot of scratch tickets, and that his chances for success are about the same as when he ran for governor in 2006. Slim to slimmer.
Rep. Megan Rochelo
Although she has yet to file with the Secretary of State’s office, it’s hard to imagine that Rochelo does not want a second term. It’s also hard to imagine that she will not tap into Maine’s so-called “Clean” Election Fund to help thwart off the scary challenge by Mills.
Mills points out that he lost his last bid for the Dist. 136 seat by only 68 votes (or about twice as many people who actually vote in District 136 primary elections)
Heck, if Mayor Alan Casavant can serve in both the House and in City Hall simultaneously, why not Mills? They could carpool between City Hall and the State House.
I served with Mills on the Charter Review Commission in 2006, and I have been impressed with his political skills, not to mention his ambition and complete disconnect from reality. On a council that is expected to have ample 5-4 votes, you can expect Mills to be a crucial swing voter, trading allegiances in order to earn Hilton Honor Reward points.
Mills says he wants to “give the city of Biddeford a strong voice in Augusta,” and that he is the person for the job, forgetting to mention the city’s mayor just won a landslide election and is hoping to retain his own House seat in Augusta.
“I looking forward to meeting and chatting with you all once again on the campaign trail,” Mills wrote on his Facebook page.
Well, I can only speak for myself, but I am also interested in talking to Mills during his campaign. For starters, I want to know if he can get me some of the stuff he must be smoking.
On the heels of a public uproar regarding the sanctity of the internet, there is growing evidence that it’s a good idea to do your own fact checking and think through things that are posted by your friends on Facebook or circulated by groups with an agenda.
Subject at hand: a graphic chart that supposedly shows President Obama has had little impact on the national debt, especially when compared to his Republican predecessors.
Don’t you hate partisan politics and political mudslinging?
If you’re a Republican or a Democrat, I’ll bet you are lying, if only to your enlightened self.
Mudslinging, whether you like it or not, is politically effective.
I know, I know . . .you (and just about everyone else) say you want your elected officials to hold hands, sing Kumbaya and back-slap each other while working to ensure that their constituents are well represented and cared for.
But do you?
Really?
A little more than a year ago, our nation called a bi-partisan 15-minute timeout to honor those who died in a senseless massacre in Tucson; and a little more than a decade ago both Republicans and Democrats joined hands to show national resolve in the wake of the horrific 9-11 attacks.
Those moments were more theater than anything else; orchestrated political moves full of sound and fury, signifying practically nothing.
That’s why I was heartened this morning to read the comments from Chris Potholm, a professor of government at Bowdoin College and one of Maine’s most pre-eminent political analysts, when he was asked about the second annual lovefest during the national State of the Union address by president Obama.
You know, Republicans have to find a Democrat to sit with, and vice-versa.
“It’s symbolic political theater of the worst kind,” Potholm told Bill Nemitz of the Maine Sunday Telegram. “It’s utterly useless and silly, and it’s not a substitute for them getting together and solving our nation’s problems.”
Nemitz points to a recent Real Clear Politics poll, which shows more than 80 percent of those polled disapprove of the job Congress is doing.
But that poll, and all the warm-fuzzy sentiment expressed by groups like No Labels, One Maine and others, contradict what we see happening every day in this country, in our state and in our local town halls.
A lack of political dissent, party opposition and hardcore nationalism can have distavorous results. 1938 Germany should give all of us pause.
Americans intuitively know that they are better served when the balance of power is split between the dominant political parties…from Ronald Reagan/Tip O’Neil to Bill Clinton/Newt Gingrinch…these were the times when America was functioning at its best.
Democrats want Republicans to fail. Republicans want Democrats to fail. This is the cost of a two-party system. But it makes sense, and it even has value right up until you understand that Rome is burning while our leaders are jockeying for a better corner office.
What too many people describe as bipartisanship would be better described as having the other guys do it our way.
If you’re an ardent Democrat, you want the Tea Party to dissolve and relocate to Pakistan. If you’re a Republican, you want to see President Obama leave office yesterday and take Joe Biden with him. Can we just admit that truth?
Sure, a growing number of Americans (myself included) describe ourselves as Independents, but even we have strong feelings on issues, and don’t like to “compromise” if one of our core “principles” is being threatened.
There are some things that should never be negotiated. There are some principles that should never be compromised.
The hard part is determining where you can bend; and what you are willing to sacrifice for the greater good.
That kind of effort requires political and emotional maturity, not a staged seating arrangement.
Eliminating political friction in the name of efficiency and policy expediency could yield some attractive, short-term benefits. But such a move would also set the stage for potentially disastrous outcomes, the implications of which could be more than our Republic can bear.
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.
LESSONS IN MEDIOCRITY | OUTLAW JOURNALIST 