LePage hops on the radio (and your phone) and Cutler keeps money on the table

I’m not a gambling man, but even if I were, I’d probably stay far away from the gubernatorial election this year, partly because it’s a game that’s too rich for my blood.

In fact, it’s a game where independent Eliot Cutler, who said this week that his odds aren’t great, put another $150,000 of his own money down Tuesday to keep his campaign running through the weekend.

This week saw a mountain of spending both from campaigns and outside groups that slowed just before the weekend hit, but you’ll not near the end of those millions dropped earlier in the week until Election Day.

Add to that spending a late drop Thursday from Republican incumbent Gov. Paul LePage’s campaign, who put about $65,500 toward a batch of radio ads, $8,857 toward robocalls and $2,000 toward a print ad in Auburn.

Before jumping to the conclusion that the latter represents a softening by LePage toward his nemesis, newspapers, it should be noted that the ad buy is for a paper run by the wife of his communications director, Peter Steele.

Clarification: A previous version of this post said the paper is run by Peter Steele. He was the paper’s editor-in-chief until 2012, when he joined the governor’s communications staff, and wrote in an email that he “[has] nothing to do with its operations.”

LePage’s campaign and that of Democratic candidate Mike Michaud have been the most active in the days leading up to the election, with hundreds of thousands in spending on both sides and donations still rolling in.

In fact, LePage also received a special letter by mail Friday from one government/civil employee in Ohio. That is, a $1,500 consideration from Republican Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who is running for re-election in that state.

That and a Democratic fundraiser last night at the Cape Elizabeth home of Robert C.S. Monks are both perhaps signs that while most of the campaign spending is done, there are still some big money donors who will show up fashionably late.

 

Darren Fishell

About Darren Fishell

Darren is a Portland-based reporter for the Bangor Daily News writing about the Maine economy and business. He's interested in putting economic data in context and finding the stories behind the numbers.