Michael Brennan

Democratic Congressional candidate Michael Brennan delivered a letter to members of Maine’s Congressional delegation yesterday detailing why funding for the Iraq War should be cut off.

The letter, delivered to Sens. Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe, and Rep. Tom Allen, began:

Reaching out to the young, tech-savvy crowd, Tom Allen’s campaign sent out a message via Facebook today advertising the campaign’s new video podcast.

Allen, who represents Maine’s First Congressional District in Congress, is challenging incumbent Susan Collins for her Senate seat.

“I am excited to tell you that our campaign has released the first video podcast of any '08 Senate campaign in the country. We will update it periodically with a variety of interesting stuff. Right now, you can find my positions on important issues and the voices of Mainers that we have run across on the campaign trail. Please encourage your friends and family to subscribe as well to help me spread the message,” stated a short message to supporters.

Michael Brennan, D-Portland, is the first candidate in the First Congressional District to advertise on network TV.

The ad, which debuted on WCSH news center several days ago, boasts the theme “working together.” It shows short videos of Brennan campaigning. It can be seen on Brennan’s campaign site.

“This campaign is not about me advancing my political career,” Brennan said. “It’s about me working with you and everyone else in the first district so we can go a long way together”

Steve Meister, D-Winthrop, aired an ad on cable networks earlier this year.

The latest round of fundraising reports came out this week.

Below is a series of lists analyzing the data for candidates in the First Congressional District. The leading Senate candidates also released their totals Tuesday.

First congressional district candidates will come together to debate twice this week.

Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. they will meet at the SPACE art gallery on Congress Street in Portland in a forum hosted by the League of Young Voters, the Professional Fire Fighters of Maine and the Portland Community Television Network. Justin Ellis of the Portland Press Herald will moderate the debate.  read more »

Monday was the deadline for Democrats and Republicans to file to run to office. No real surprises here, but the following candidates have qualified to run for national office. An analysis of state candidates will be available later in the day.

U.S. Senate

Democrats: Tom Allen of Portland and Tom Ledue of Sanford

Republicans: Susan Collins of Bangor.

Both Congressional candidate Michael Brennan and Senatorial candidate Tom Ledue, both Democrats, turned in their signatures to the Secretary of State’s office last week, making their campaigns official.

Ledue’s Democratic opponent U.S. Rep. Tom Allen also turned his signatures in last week.  read more »

It was a tough room.

Dean Scontras, a Republican candidate for the First Congressional District, took the stage Tuesday with four Democrats vying for the CD1 seat. It was a forum put on by two leftist groups, and a crowd of mostly liberals.  read more »

First Congressional District candidates are touting their fundraising successes in the fourth quarter of 2007.

Chellie Pingree raised the most of any candidate, more than double what Ethan Strimling raised. Strimling came in second in fundraising.

Former Senate President Beverly Daggett, D-Augusta, has endorsed York County District Attorney Mark Lawrence for the first Congressional District seat.

Six Democrats are eyeing Tom Allen’s seat, which he is vacating to run for Senate. They are Lawrence, Chellie Pingree, Stephen Meister, Adam Cote, Michael Brennan and Ethan Strimling.

Daggett said she served with all except Cote in her nine legislative terms, ending in 2003-2004 when she was Senate president. She said she knew Lawrence the longest. He chaired the first committee she served on, and was president during her first term in the Senate.