Kevin Raye

At the Republican National Convention this week, most of the buzz was over Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R-Alaska), the first woman to be named as a Republican vice presidential candidate.

In the Maine delegation, this gave many a reason to remember former Sen. Margaret Chase Smith, the first woman to be nominated for President on the floor of a convention.

In 1964, Smith placed fifth of nine candidates in the initial round of balloting at the Republican National Convention in 1964, with 27 of 1,308 votes. She refused to drop out for the second round of balloting, so Barry Goldwater’s nomination was not unanimous.

Snowe and McKernan: Olympia Snowe and John McKernan at the Maine Republican Convention in May. Politicker file photo.MINNEAPOLIS -- U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe said she would not take a job in presidential nominee John McCain’s administration if given the opportunity.

“No,” she said when asked by PolitickerME Wednesday. “I like what I’m doing in the Senate.”

However, had she been offered the vice presidency she would have “seriously considered it,” though she was never asked.

Snowe and U.S. Sen. Susan Collins are both close to McCain. Several Republican leaders have speculated that they would be on the top of McCain’s list for a cabinet job, if the Republican is elected.

Kevin and Karen Raye, a Perry couple who are both prominent in Maine Republican politics, both said they were impressed with John McCain’s selection of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate.

Karen Raye, Maine’s Republican National Committeewoman, said Palin will help McCain with the female vote. She said Palin is a “maverick and a reformer”

Kevin Raye, a state senator, said Palin can connect with Maine voters.

The Rayes are currently in Minneapolis preparing for the Republican National Convention.

The Blaine House: Speculation is far and wide as to who will live here after 2010. Politicker photo.The list of those speculated to run for governor in 2010 is wide and far-reaching. During a special session Wednesday, PolitickerME had a chance to catch up with a number of state senators on the list.

When asked, most of them remained mum on their ambitions.

Gov. John Baldacci will be termed out, so the 2010 race will be for an open seat.

The closest thing to an admission from any state senator came from Sen. Peter Mills (R-Skowhegan).

“I probably will,” he said.

The Maine Ethics Commission’s staff is questioning more than $2,000 in purchases by independent state Senate candidate Dana Kadey of Princeton, and recommending that he reimburse the state.

According to his campaign finance reports, Kadey used Maine Clean Elections Act funds to buy a GPS device for $414, a cooler for his vehicle for $188 and a truck cap and roof rack for $1,363 plus $109 in travel to buy it. They were paid for out of the $21,005 in public funds he received for his campaign. The GPS device was his first purchase of the campaign.

This year Kadey is running against Raye and Karen Johnson (D-Machias). The district includes all of Washington County.

This his second run for state Senate. In a four-way race in 2006, he got 13 percent of the vote. Sen. Kevin Raye (R-Perry) won with 59 percent of the vote.

No one is exactly sure when Senator Diamond jumped ship on HIS compromise budget in favor of the latest House version, but he was definitely spotted swimming to democratic shores swallowing mouthfuls of promises along the way.

Just beneath the surface in the Maine Senate there is angst, and the cause is Senator Bill Diamond.

Karen Raye, who currently serves as Republican National Committee Woman from Maine has let her supporters know that she will not be seeking reelection at the convention in May.

UPDATED 4:45 PM with comments from Rep. Jeremy Fischer

With presidential candidates John Edwards and Rudy Giuliani dropping out so close to the Maine caucuses, supporters are looking to other candidates.

U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud endorsed Edwards in October. Spokeswoman Monica Castellanos said he will back another candidate, she’s just not sure who or when.

State Senator Kevin Raye will lead Rudy Giuliani’s campaign in Maine. Mitt Romney’s campaign also announced its steering committee this week.

The Giuliani camp announced their Maine leadership team today. Raye’s wife, Karen Raye, is the State Chair of Women for Rudy. She is also Maine’s Republican National Committeewoman.

Other members of the leadership team are: