Posted on 11/04/2013 6:24:40 AM PST by raccoonradio
The six-term congressman’s announcement in an op-ed column may influence the 2014 election to lead the state.
Maine political observers offered early reaction Monday to Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mike Michaud’s announcement that he’s gay, ending years of speculation and potentially sharply changing the dynamic of the 2014 gubernatorial race.
Michaud, 57, currently serving his sixth term in the U.S. House of Representatives, made the disclosure in a column submitted to three of the state’s major news outlets.He said he was making the announcement in response to “the whisper campaigns, insinuations and push polls” that unidentified people have been using to raise questions about his personal life since he declared his candidacy.
“They want people to question whether I am gay,” Michaud said. “Allow me to save them the trouble with a simple, honest answer: ‘Yes I am. But why should it matter?’ ”
As congressman for Maine’s more conservative 2nd Congressional District, Michaud has long sidestepped questions about his sexuality. But on Monday he made it the subject of a column submitted by his campaign, which required strict reporting and publishing embargoes. Now, nearly a year away from the 2014 election, Michaud’s sexual orientation moves to the forefront, potentially dominating what was expected to be a highly competitive three-way race...
If successful in defeating Republican Gov. Paul LePage and independent Eliot Cutler, Michaud could become the first openly gay governor in the country. Former New Jersey Gov. James McGreevey revealed that he was gay in 2004, but the announcement coincided with his resignation and a blossoming public scandal.
(Excerpt) Read more at pressherald.com ...
>>As congressman for Maine’s more conservative 2nd Congressional District
this opens the door for Cory Booker to finally step out..
If so proud of it then why lie to the public while in public office for six terms?
No it doesn’t. Booker will have to stay ‘in the closet’ for a long time. He would possibly lose a lot of black support if he did come out.......
I don’t give a smelly Obamahole about his gayness - for that, he will hopefully get a room.
Is he a conservative? That’s what matters.
What a boring thing to say — didn’t he have anything important to talk about?
current governors in New England
MAINE—Paul Le Page, R
NEW HAMPSHIRE—Maggie Hassan, D
VERMONT—Peter Shumlin, D
MASSACHUSETTS—Deval Patrick, D
(finance scandal brewing now for potential D gov candidate Martha Coakley...)
CONNECTICUT—Dan Malloy, D
RHODE ISLAND—Lincoln Chaffee, Ind., former GOP
I’m such a dinosaur that I just never understood the part about “pride” in Gay Pride.
What are these faggots so proud of anyway?
Being queer is a résumé enhancer for a democrat.
Why does the party affiliation of this man not appear in the part of the article that you posted?
Rhetorical question?
In today’s New America, this should be worth an additional 10%.
He might’ve waited until next year for maximum impact, though.
Hardly. It won't make him less black.
Oops! I just reread the article and see that I missed the word Democrat in the second line.
Let’s see—AFL-CIO endorsed, though he’s a Dem so maybe that’s automatic
http://www.boston.com/news/local/maine/2013/10/29/maine-afl-cio-endorses-michaud-for-governor/CyVnHND6ccKSIbVbEuBcNM/story.html
Positions
http://votesmart.org/candidate/political-courage-test/6582/mike-michaud/#.UnexEvmTiSo
Pro-abortion, pro-gun control, supports gay marriage, supports federal restrictions on greenhouse gas emissions, does not support repeal of “Affordable Care Act”
Hmm.
And yet represents the more conservative district..?
There’s no need for a “Name That Party” in Newsbusters. Also judging by a site I saw outlining his positions...yes no question a Dem.
Wiki on Michaud:
“ The primarily rural district comprises nearly 80% of the state by area and includes the cities of Lewiston, Auburn, Bangor, and Presque Isle. It is the largest Congressional district by area east of the Mississippi River. Michaud, who speaks French, is the first Franco-American to be elected to a U.S. federal office from Maine”
(Franco-American? They make Spagetti-o’s don’t they... :) )
>>Michaud is a member of the Blue Dog Coalition, a group of conservative Democrats in the House of Representatives. He is the only Congressperson from New England in the coalition. On October 19, 2007, he endorsed former Senator John Edwards for President.
(Reading his positions..conservative?!? Pro abortion and pro gay marriage, pro Obamacare etc. And what conservative endorses JOHN freaking EDWARDS?)
Maine governor candidate Mike Michaud: “I’m gay...so any criticism of me henceforth will be labeled as ‘homophobic’ and the critic will be a ‘hater’.
...Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mike Michaud’s announcement that he’s gay HOMOSEXUAL...
A homosexual RAT, conservative? I don't think so!
HOMOSEXUAL, because there's nothing GAY about it.
Said number of jobs went down under Republican Le Page.
They didn’t.
http://pinetreepolitics.bangordailynews.com/2013/09/26/mike-michaud-and-an-inconvenient-fact/
>>Indeed, according to the Maine Department of Labor, the actual number of employed workers went from 653,600 in July of 2012, to 660,300 in July of 2013. In fact, more than 10,000 new jobs have been created during LePage’s tenure in office. Rather than own up to the lie, and publicly issue a correction (an apology would have been nice, but I’d just settle for, “Hey, so that wasn’t true, and we hereby acknowledge the lack of truth,”) Michaud just silently changed the video and moved along with his day without acknowledging it. How cynical. He is attempting to wash his hands of lying about Maine’s job numbers without having to pay any consequence for doing it in the first place.
No, but it race based voting does have its limits................
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