Overview
- The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has endorsed State Sen. Joe Baldacci in a four-way Democratic primary for Maine’s open 2nd Congressional District seat.
- The Penobscot County Democratic Committee, which covers Baldacci’s home base of Bangor, scheduled a vote to condemn the endorsement for ignoring state and county rules that bar party chapters from backing primary candidates.
- Former Maine Senate President Charles Pray drafted the resolution and said party leaders should let primary voters decide without national groups boosting one contender.
- Rivals Matt Dunlap, Jordan Wood, and Paige Loud criticized the intervention as putting a thumb on the scale, while Baldacci welcomed the support and said the choice relied on polling.
- DCCC spokesperson Viet Shelton framed the pick as part of its Red to Blue strategy to win in November, as limited public polling dates to March and a Bangor Daily News letter spotlighted fundraising that cast Baldacci as an establishment favorite.