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.
LESSONS IN MEDIOCRITY 