Tag: Nancy Sullivan

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.

Just around midnight

~ Randy Seaver ~ 2 Comments

Within 24 hours the family feud will be over but political tensions in Biddeford will likely remain high long after the ballots from the June 12 Primary Elections are counted.

For the first time in more than 25 years, incumbents in each of the city’s three legislative districts are facing primary challenges.

Joanne Twomey

Now for a few predictions about tomorrow’s outcomes. (these are not necessarily my choices, just my predictions)

District 135 House Seat (Paulette Beaudoin v. Joanne Twomey)

Beaudoin, the incumbent, has never faced a primary challenge, and she has her work cut out for her with a challenge by former Biddeford Mayor Joanne Twomey. Twomey held the House seat and previously recruited Beaudoin to fill her shoes. Joanne took her loss for a third term as mayor hard, but this campaign has been relatively quiet, despite a last-minute dump of cash from a pro-casino PAC. If signs are any indicator, Beaudoin will do well….but political signs are little more than psychological warfare and Twomey is a savvy campaigner. In this race, I predict a razor-thin victory for Beaudoin. (less than 5%)

District 136 House Seat (Megan Rochelo v. Bobby Mills)

Bobby Mills
Bobby Mills

This is a rematch between incumbent Rochelo and perennial political candidate Bobby Mills, a city councilor who often runs for elected office). Rochelo is hoping for a second term in the district that is bubbling over with Democrats. Mills is hoping to settle a score, but screwed up significantly a couple of weeks ago by posting callous and stupid remarks about his opponent and her husband’s funeral on his campaign’s Facebook page. Mills attempted to edit his stupidity, but it was too late for his revisionist tactics. Several of his supporters backed away; and despite his open and forceful support for a casino in Biddeford, even the boys from Vegas took a few steps back and Mills did not receive any of the support that other local legislative candidates received from a pro-casino PAC. Rochelo by 10 points or better in this race.

District 137 House Seat (Alan Casavant v. Nancy Sullivan)

Nancy Sullivan
Nancy Sullivan

Casavant, serving his first term as the city’s mayor, is being challenged for his House seat by outgoing State Senator Nancy Sullivan. Sullivan really does not want to leave Augusta, and she is running a tight and competitive campaign with plenty of help from the boys in Vegas. Although she approached Casavant late last year, suggesting he should run for her termed-out senate seat, she is now campaigning on the premise that Casavant cannot effectively serve two masters. The problem here, is that she may be right, especially when considering some of the things Casavant repeatedly writes on his Facebook page. This will be a close race. Despite a contentious municipal budget, Casavant is still very popular and downright likable. Sullivan, however is a fierce competitor and better financed. Despite the intent of term limits, I predict Nancy will recapture her old House seat in what will be one of the state’s tightest Primary elections. Sullivan by less than 2 percent.

In other races, expect Linda Valentino to roll past Don Pilon in Senate District 5; Jon Courtney will blow Patrick Calder out of the water for the GOP’s chance to take on Democrat Chellie Pingree in November for Maine’s First District Congressional seat. In a crowded race, Republicans will almost evenly split between Rick Bennett and Bruce Poliquin for the chance to hold Olympia Snowe’s US senate seat for the GOP. (Charlie Summers looks tired, and not enough people know any of the other candidates.) Meanwhile Cynthia Dill will do well with Democrats in southern and coastal Maine, and expect her to dominate college campus towns and maybe Blue Hill; Jon Hinck will do well in Portland’s West End neighborhood, but Matt Dunlap, a more moderate candidate from Old Town, will ultimately win the ticket to a suicide bid against former governor and independent candidate Angus King in November.

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.

It’s not your 19th nervous breakdown

~ Randy Seaver ~ 4 Comments

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.

District 136: Bob “I never stop campaigning” Mills will challenge incumbent Megan Rochelo, a sweet, little young lady who would really like a second term.

District 137: State Sen. Nancy Sullivan, facing term limits, will challenge Mayor Alan Casavant,  a man who often acts like a sweet, little old lady and would just like to spend his non-napping hours saving the world and chatting with his 48 million Facebook friends.

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 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.

Ready to rumble?

~ Randy Seaver ~ 5 Comments

The game of politics is a lot like baseball.

Some people can actually watch an entire baseball game without ever paying attention to the stats, the subtle nuances of play and the cryptic signals given between the dugout and field.

These people are normal and are not afflicted with severe attention deficit disorder. They are likely able to sustain a relationship, hold a job and do not live in their mother’s basement.

Others sit in the stands with calculators and steel-trap memories, comparing Freddie Lynn’s RBI stats to Nomar Garciaparra’s. These people actually know how a state caucus works. They can talk at length about the decline of the Whig Party, but generally struggle with finding a date on New Year’s Eve.

If you’re part of that first group and enjoy the experience of just eating a hotdog at Fenway. Stop reading here.

However, if you’re a true political junkie, or someone who has absolutely nothing better to do with your time, hang on!

Let’s start in Biddeford, where politics is full-on tackle.

Alan Casavant

In this corner, we have newly elected Mayor Alan Casavant, hoping to also hold onto his District 137 State House seat, which includes portions of Biddeford and Kennebunkport, for another two years.

And in the opposing corner, we have State Senator Nancy Sullivan, a fellow Democrat who is facing term limits and an end to her eight-year stint in the Senate. Sullivan held the 137 House seat for three terms (1998-2004), leaving only to run for the open senate seat when Lloyd LaFountain was forced out because of (here we go again)…term limits.

Traditionally, these seats are swapped off as incumbent House and Senate members politely trade their respective seats as an end-run around Maine’s pesky term limits legislation.

Nancy Sullivan

A few months ago, Casavant opted to take on incumbent Biddeford Mayor Joanne Twomey, a fellow Democrat who was a strong supporter of a proposed racino. Twomey, coincidentally, served four terms in the neighboring House District seat and then lost a primary bid for the Senate seat to, ….wait for it, ….Nancy Sullivan.

Casavant crushed Twomey’s hopes for a third term as mayor, earning 62 percent of the vote, despite huge voter support for the racio. Analysts attribute Casavant’s landslide win to the overall brilliance and tactical genius of his campaign manager.

But this is going to be a tough Democratic primary; and I think Republican strategists must either be in a self-induced coma brought on by the complacency of holding 20 of the Senate’s 35 seats or distracted by widespread media reports surronding allegations that a 47-year-old, double-amputee Somalian man from Lewiston donated $5 to Senator Peggy Rotundo’s “Clean Election” campaign while receiving foodstamps.

But back to House District 137.

As the incumbent, Casavant’s strengths will likely include the full-weight and awesome power of the Maine Democratic Party, the same group that nominated a gubernatorial candidate who got 19 percent of voter support last year and lost both chambers of the Legislature to Republicans….

Casavant will also be buoyed by the overwhelming support his mayoral bid garnered in Wards One and Three (the main portion of District 137). Wards One and Three include Biddeford’s more affluent neighborhoods (Biddeford Pool, Fortunes Rocks and Granite Point)

These are the same Biddeford neighborhoods, where Republicans feel brave enough to drive Subarus and Volvos without the requisite Obama 2012 bumper stickers but still register as Democrats to avoid having their homes torched.

The District also includes Kennebunkport, summer home of George HW Bush. Here, Republicans are much bolder and generally loathe the idea of driving a Subaru.

Sullivan’s support of a proposed racino will likely hurt her in District 137, but she is a very tough campaigner, ousting incumbent Republican Steve Joyce in 1998 while he was busy trimming his toenails and putting the final touches on legislation that would require all Francos in the District to register on a state web site.

Later, Sullivan fended off a primary challenge by Joanne (I’m crazier than you can possibly imagine) Twomey to earn the Democratic nomination for the State Senate. She then jousted with Donna (I’m thinking about running for president) Dion, a three-term mayor, who also touted a different casino proposal and ran as an independent.

Notice a pattern here? Sullivan can crush other  women who like casinos. She can also whip pretty boys like Steve Joyce who did not know that Biddeford had a downtown area until he got lost there.

But now Sullivan is a woman who likes casinos, so she will likely tackle Casavant by pointing out that he now holds two political offices. Expect her to also make hay about his facial hair.

Casavant, meanwhile, will be buoyed by his 438,756,823 Facebook friends and his strategic maneuver of organizing a Biddeford winter carnival during winter.

It’s going to be a heck of a ride! Time to break out the Jiffy-Pop, boys and girls.

Next Week: Biddeford firefighters fan the flames of the Maine Senate’s dysfunction.