ME-1

First Congressional District candidate Chellie Pingree (D-North Haven) has launched her first television ad of the general election season.

The ad, titled “Squeeze”, highlights troubles facing the middle class. She touts experience standing up to special interest groups and prescription drug companies.

Pingree is running against Charlie Summers (R-Scarborough).

Click here for the ad.

Roll Call, a Capitol Hill publication, has the details of a poll commissioned by 1st Congressional District candidate Charlie Summers (R-Scarborough) that shows 22 percent of the voters in the district are still undecided about the race.

Summers is running against Chellie Pingree (D-North Haven).

The poll, done by Moore Information says Pingree leads Summers 44 to 33 percent, with 22 percent undecided – two thirds of them undecided.

Click here for the rest of the story.

The Rothenberg Political Report left both of Maine’s House races off its September list of competitive House races this fall, meaning they see it as limited risk for the Democrats, who hold both seats.

In the 1st Congressional District, Chellie Pingree (D-North Haven) faces Charlie Summers (R-Scarborough). The seat is being vacated by Tom Allen (D-Portland) who is running for the Senate.

In the 2nd Congressional District, incumbent Rep. Mike Michaud (D-East Millinocket) faces Farmington professor John Frary (R-Farmington).

This is no change from previous reports. The only time either race made the list of competitive contests was in November 2007, far before the primary, when Rothenberg put the ME-1 race in the “Democrat favored” category.

Since PolitickerME posted a video of 1st Congressional District candidate Charlie Summers’ (R-Scarborough) adventures, it’s only fair to post one of his opponent, Chellie Pingree (D-North Haven), too.

We missed this one while we were at the conventions, but on Sept. 2 Pingree entered a cow milking contest at the Windsor Fair.

Pingree came in second in the contest, losing to state Rep. Bill Browne (R-Vassalboro).

See the video below.

First Congressional District candidate Charlie Summers (R-Scarborough) is travelling the state working 30 different jobs to highlight how energy costs are affecting all walks of life.

On Sept. 17, Summers worked in a hair salon, where he jokingly bemoaned that he wasn’t allowed to cut hair or use the chemicals.

They did let him sweep the floor.

See the campaign video below.

Summers has also helped brew beer at Gritty McDuff’s and scooped ice cream with state Senate candidate Chris Rector (R-Thomaston).

AUGUSTA -- Differences in energy and health care policy will define the 1st Congressional District race between Chellie Pingree (D-North Haven) and Charlie Summers (R-Scarborough) this fall.

At a low-key forum at a Maine Development Foundation event Thursday, the two candidates touched on a number of issues, but energy policy and health care questions ignited the most passionate responses.

Summers supports domestic drilling for oil, along with investing in alternative energy resources. He has launched a radio ad highlighting this and is travelling the state working different jobs to highlight the effect high costs have on various occupations.

Pingree does not support drilling, and instead is proposing the state let oil out of the oil reserves and crack down on speculation. She is actively supporting alternative energy sources and bringing green power jobs to Maine, and recently visited the University of Maine at Orono to learn about ongoing research and development in the field.

Congressional candidate Charlie Summers: Campaign PhotoCharlie Summers (R-Scarborough) told Congressional Quarterly that he is a much better candidate than he was when he ran for the 1st Congressional District seat in 2004, and believes that he can prevail in the Democrat-dominated district.

CQ looks at his candidacy in this report today, following his speech last week at the Republican National Convention.

Summers faces Chellie Pingree (D-North Haven) on Nov. 4. The seat is open, as incumbent Rep. Tom Allen (D-Portland) is running for the U.S. Senate.

Charlie Summers, Republican candidate for the First Congressional District has opened his campaign office in downtown Portland.

The office, which officially opened Friday, is located at 107 Exchange Street.

Congressional candidate Charlie Summers speaks at the Republican National Convention: Getty Images PhotoUPDATED 8:40 ET/7:40 CT with a quote from Ruth Summers

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Charlie Summers did not tell his wife, Ruth, what he would be talking about in his brief remarks to the Republican National Convention tonight.

Much of it was about her.

In his speech, Summers said that he decided to run for Congress and then was deployed to Iraq for the U.S. Navy Reserve. The crowd cheered.

Then, he said, he almost had to suspend his campaign until Ruth, also a Naval officer, offered to campaign for him until he returned three weeks before the primary. Click here for his full remarks.

MINNEAPOLIS -- While the 2008 election has ignited sharp partisan exchanges, First Congressional District candidate Charlie Summers(R-Scarborough) said what Mainers really want to see is candidates who are willing to reach out across the aisle.

Maine is traditionally a blue state, and the Republicans who do best there are the moderates, such as current Sens. Susan Collins (R-Bangor and Olympia Snowe (R-Auburn).

It’s not just about the candidates being moderates, but about their ability to reach out to independent voters, Summers said.

“People need t