Money race shows a split that could give Trump a Maine electoral vote

Bangor Daily news ^ | 11/6/16 | fishell

[knak]

Hillary Clinton’s campaign has raised far more money from far more people than Donald Trump’s across Maine.

But if you break out Clinton’s $1.5 million and Trump’s $153,000 by congressional district, the picture becomes less lopsided.

In the 1st District, encompassing southern Maine, Clinton raised more than $13 for every $1 picked up by the Trump campaign. But her lead narrowed in the 2nd District, where the Democrat raised a little more than $4 for every $1 that went to her Republican rival, according to reports covering contributions through Oct. 25.

The money race is no predictor of how the election will turn out. But it supports relatively scant polling indicating Trump’s improving chances at picking up an electoral vote in Maine, in a quest for 270. Story continues below advertisement.

Within the relatively small sample, the finance data also indicates Republican donors in the 2nd District were more likely than their southern counterparts to shift support to Trump after preferring another candidate.

In Maine’s 1st District, about 22 percent of Republican donors who gave to multiple candidates gave at least one contribution to Trump. The share in the 2nd District was about 33 percent.

The finance reports also reveal the political fault lines among the state’s donors. Clinton support was concentrated along the same southern coast where Republican Jeb Bush took in much of his early cash.

The figures represent just a tiny fraction of registered voters and Mainers of voting age. Relatively few Maine voters donate to political campaigns, and an even smaller portion of them give more than $200, or enough to be itemized and counted in the federal finance reports that form the basis of our analysis.

[dowcaet]

I know conventional wisdom says Trump could pick up one electoral vote from Maine. You can’t use conventional wisdom when analyzing the Trump campaign. There are so many variables and factors that no one can accurately predict what will happen Tuesday night. I guarantee there’s more worrying on Hillary’s side than on Trump’s.

[Fido969]

LePage, much more conservative and hated by the lefties than Trump, took the governor’s race in 2014, against all the “conventional wisdom.”

If Trump does the same thing, he’ll take 3 of Maine’s 4 EVs (Forget about southern Maine)

[orionrising]

I expect large turnout on both sides in maine. recreational marjuiana and gun control are both on ballot measures

[pingman]

As half of Maine goes, so goes the nation, I hope.

[BaldJohn]

I really like the idea of breaking up the states into congressional districts, as Maine does. It seems to get the people a greater voice.

[dp0622]

3 would be GREAT!

[matt04]

The Dems would hate it and cry racism or what not. They need to be lumped tougher so they can get EV from places like CA, NY, etc. where cities like LA and NYC push mke entire states blue when county by county show much more red.

[TBP]

Which could be decisive.