Maine is certainly no conservative state, but I'm surprised an actual Peter Fitzgerald/Al D'Amato/Rick Santorum-type GOP candidate can't win statewide with 34% of the vote in such a scenario. "Independents" like Angus King agree with like 95% of the RAT party platform. In theory it should be easy for a conservative to win under the radar with the RAT & "Independent" campaigning on identical issues, identical platforms, and going after the exact same voters.
The rat (not supported by most of her own party or the DSCC) only took 13% against King in 2012.
The Republican under-performed at 30%, not that he was a strong or well-funded candidate, he wasn’t.
No Green was on the ballot, 2 other indies and the Libertarian took roughly 1% each.
Party base votes are weak in Maine, fungible, look at the Perot vote, most of those types went for King. We needed a stronger $$ candidate and for the rat to take way more than 13%.