James W. Pindell's blog

The arrest of Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and his top aide on charges, among other things, that he attempted to sell off his pick to replace President-elect Barack Obama's former Senate seat, creates a drama for political junkies just in time for the Holidays.

It has high drama allegation of bribes. It has big political families. It has ties to Obama. It involves the most exclusive club in the world and possibly the most corrupt office in the land.

Will today really be the Democratic landslide some are predicting? Dixville Notch votes may have already answered that question.

For the first time since 1968 Dixville voted for a Democrat. And it wasn't even close.

Consider that Dixville voted twice for George W. Bush. In 2000 Bush's won 21-5 and in 2004 he won 19-7.

Which makes Obama's 15-6 win this morning an ominous sign for Republicans.  Then again it was only 21 people.

Before Barack Obama's grandmother died today she cast an absentee ballot to help Obama become president. 

Under Hawaii law, though, that ballot will not count. The state law says that if the local election clerk is notified before the polls open on Election Day the ballot is invalid.

The issue is whether or not someone conveniently forgets to tell the clerk.

If Democrats wind up with 59 U.S. Senate seats on Election Day, they can still reach the magic filibuster-proof number of 60 if the new President appoints Republican Olympia Snowe to his cabinet. The Governor of Maine, John Baldacci, would presumably appoint a fellow Democrat to serve until a November 2010 special election to fill the balance of Snowe's term.

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Republican U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe could wind up in the cabinet, if Democrat Barack Obama wins the presidency

If Democrats wind up with 59 U.S. Senate seats on Election Day, they can still reach the magic filibuster-proof number of 60 if the new President appoints Republican Olympia Snowe to his cabinet. The Governor of Maine, John Baldacci, would presumably appoint a fellow Democrat to serve until a November 2010 special election to fill the balance of Snowe's term.

Should Barack Obama win, he is expected to reach across the aisle for at least one cabinet appointment. The popular, moderate Snowe would be a credible pick for Transportation or Commerce secretary, or Ambassador to the United Nations, and her nomination would surely not offend congressional Democrats.

The 61-year-old Snowe has been in Congress since her election to the House in 1978, and there is already speculation that she won't seek re-election when her third term ends in 2012. A cabinet post in an Obama administration might be an attractive option for her, as it was for her political mentor, William Cohen, who became Bill Clinton's Secretary of Defense after eighteen years as a Republican Senator from Maine.

Maine's two Congressman continued to split their vote on a second version of a bailout.

In his ranking of U.S. Senate races most likely to change parties, the WashingtonPost.com political blogger/reporter Chris Cillizza moved Maine out the top 10 this week.

This race -- between incumbent Republican Susan Collins and Democrat Tom Allen -- has been creeping to become more uninteresting to Cillizza. Last month the race ranked 10th. The month before that it was 9th.And in March he ranked it 8th.

PORTLAND -- In conceding defeat in the Republican congressional primary tonight, Eloit businessman Dean Scontras vowed to never stop pushing the conservative message in the state and hinted that while this might be his first run for public office, this might not be the last.

"You haven't heard from me for the last time," Scontras ended his speech by saying.

Scontras urged his supporters to rally behind the Republican nominee Charlie Summers. Summers is expected to defeat Scontras by double digits. All along the campaign was one of the conservative grassroots behind Scontras with the Republican moderate establishment backing Summers.

PORTLAND -- Dean Scontras, the businessman seeking the Republican nomination in the 1st Congressional District tonight, said in an interview that he "feels good" about his chances tonight even though early returns show him behind 10 percentage points.

"We took some losses early, but we are really watching York County right now," said Scontras.

A political newcomer, Scontras said that no matter what happens tonight he is proud of the campaign he ran and that he will go back to being a family man. That said, he is not conceding anything yet.

HANCOCK -- The Democratic caucus in the Downeast town of Hancock voted for Obama.

The caucus's 6 delegates split 4-2 for Obama.