And In This Corner.. The Democrats

A  few weeks ago we started to blog about the race for Olympia Snowe's senate seat in Maine.  We highlighted the republican candidates, so it's time to see who the democrats are in this race. 

This race began with some big names taking about papers to run for this seat.  We had Congresswoman Chellie Pingree from North Haven. Pingree represents the 1st district which encompasses the southern half of the state.  Then Mike Michaud congressman from East Millinocket. Michaud represents the 2nd district which covers the northern, less populated half of the state.  Former congressman and governor John Baldacci also took papers.  Michaud and Pingree both decided that they were better served continue their campaign for their current positions.  Governor Baldacci also decided at that he would not pursue this nomination any further.  Many here say that the entry of former governor and Independent candidate Angus King caused these candidates to drop out.  With these big names out of the race, we still have Matt Dunlap, Cynthia Dill, and John Hinck.

Matt Dunlap is a former Secretary of State from 2005 until 2011 in the Baldacci administration.  He now currently serves as the Executive Director for the Sportsman Alliance of Maine (SAM). Dunlap served in the Maine house of Representatives from 1996 to 2004.  He was a strong advocate for wildlife and environmental issues.  In 1999, he proposed restructuring the Atlantic Salmon Authority. He also supported legislation that increased moose hunting permits. He also sponsored a bill that would allow the Department of Inland Fisheries to contract with a consulting firm for the fisheries evaluation.  Elected by the Legislature to serve as Maine’s 47th Secretary of State, he oversaw the modernization of the department’s electronic delivery of services to the public. In 2010, under his direction, Maine’s implementation of the Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment (MOVE) Act was the swiftest and most effective in the country, enabling military personnel and others abroad rapid and secure access to Maine’s voting process.

Cynthia Dill is a noted civil rights lawyer who resides in Cape Elizabeth.  Dill was elected to the Maine House of Representatives in 2006, where she served as a member of the Judiciary and Ethics Committees. Among other things, Dill sponsored the legislation that created the Broadband Strategy Council and was appointed Chair. As a leading proponent of the expansion of broadband, Dill was instrumental in obtaining over $35 million of investment for the Three Ring Binder Project, a nationally recognized private/public partnership that will bring high-speed Internet access to rural parts of Maine and widely expand the potential for good jobs, enhanced educational opportunities, health care and public safety.  Dill was elected to the Maine Senate in May of 2011 in a special election for district 7.  Dill founded the Friends of the Maine Woods, a statewide organization that advocates for the study and creation of a Maine Woods National Park. Now this is an Organization that many democrats and republicans in the northern tier of the state do not care for.  They feel that it is not a true representation of how most Mainers feel about the the North woods, but it's the feel of the "urbanites" and "flat landers", also known as residents of southern New England.

John Hinck has spent his life as an advocate, teacher, and champion for working people. He co-founded Greenpeace USA, fought for commercial fishermen after the Exxon Valdez oil spill, and helped secure a ban on MTBE in order to preserve Maine’s clean water. In the Legislature, he is a driving force for energy independence promoting clean, homegrown power and promoting efficiency to lower energy costs for Maine homes and businesses.  Jon worked for a decade with the environmental group Greenpeace, including as campaign director for Greenpeace International in charge of the organization's worldwide program.  He was instrumental in building Greenpeace USA into one of the largest environmental groups in the U.S. and spearheaded major efforts in marine ecology, energy and toxic issues. He has chaired the legislature's Energy & Utilities Committee and is active with the national Council of State Government's Energy & Environment Committee.

The Primary for the Democratic Nominee will be June 2nd.


References:
http://www.cynthiadill.com/about_cynthia_dill.htm
http://www.dunlapforsenate.com/about-matt
http://www.jonhinck.com/