Chris Potholm

U.S. Senate candidate Tom Allen: Campaign PhotoUPDATED

At this point last year, the U.S. Senate race between incumbent Susan Collins (R-Bangor) and challenger U.S. Rep. Tom Allen (D-Portland) was predicted to be a race to watch, with pundits deeming it as a key pick-up opportunity for the Democrats.

Three polls in recent weeks paint a different picture. Tuesday, Survey USA put Collins 16 points up. Last week, Rasmussen Reports had Collins 13 points up. A poll by Research 2000, commissioned by the Daily Kos blog, put Collins up by 19 points the week before.

The Rothenberg Political Report has placed the race in the “clear advantage for the incumbent party,” where it has been since last November, when it had moved from the “narrow advantage for the incumbent party” category.

Carol Andrews, spokeswoman for the Allen campaign, said these polls use unreliable methodology. The campaign does its own polling, which she said is accurate and shows the race to be closer.

Bowdoin College professor Chris Potholm appeared in a 12-minute segment on New York City-based WNYC radio today discussing the presidential and U.S. Senate race in Maine.

The interview, which can be heard at this link, was part of the public radio station's series "States of the Union", where the station assesses the political landscape in each state.

In the interview, Potholm, who is also a pollster, said that Mainers vote less for candidates' political party and stances on the issues, and more on their ability to lead. This is how some of the most prominent leaders -- such as the late Democrat Edmund Muskie, a former Maine governor, U.S. senator and presidential candidate, and Republican Bill Cohen, a former U.S. senator, congressman and Defense secretary -- were so successful, he said.

State Sen. Ethan Strimling: Campaign PhotoFollowing his loss in the Democratic Congressional primary, outgoing state Sen. Ethan Strimling (D-Portland) is focusing on an organization he helped form in 2004.

A Rising Tide trains young Mainers in grassroots campaigning and organizing. It will train its 13th class of 30 people this weekend.

Strimling’s former campaign manager, Corey Hascall, is the executive director.

The training is free, but then graduates must spend 40 hours volunteering for an effort of their choice.

Trainers are: Dennis Bailey, President of Savvy Inc. and Democratic political strategist; Chris Potholm, Bowdoin College Professor and pollster and Roy Lenardson, a Republican political consultant and strategist.

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) has a background in hunting, fishing and snowmobiling, and some Republicans say this will make U.S. Sen. John McCain's (R-Ariz.) ticket very attractive in the 2nd Congressional District.

"McCain can't win the second district," said Chris Potholm, a political science professor at Bowdoin College. "But she can win it for him."