Through the luck of the draw, Bruce Poliquin was the first gubernatorial candidate to speak at “The Red County Caucus”.  This could, for some, be an unenviable position, but Mr. Poliquin handled it well.  He was probably the most polished of all the speakers.  He presented himself with measured energy and intensity.  It was an impressive speech.

Bruce Poliquin is a native of Waterville.  He is the third generation of his family to live in Waterville.  Mr. Poliquin cites his family and their relations (the Cyrs, the Doyons, and the Bouchards) as major contributors to business and its management in the State of Maine.  Research seems to back up his claim.

Unlike Les Otten, Bruce Poliquin’s background seems to be relatively clean.  The news media did dredge up an incident that involved the theft of a traffic sign when Bruce was nineteen.  The Maine Conservative Voice does stand in support of all the helpless traffic signs throughout the State of Maine.  We demand that Bruce Poliquin never, ever do that again.  That was really, really naughty, Bruce.  The airstream media must have had a crack research team on that little jewel.  Okay, back to more serious things.

Mr. Poliquin earned his degree in economics from Harvard.  This columnist was surprised at the negative reaction so many caucus goers had to the word Harvard.  While I can understand the angst and suspicion that many may have against elite schools, remember that those degrees come with hard work.  An individual should not be judged negatively solely on the basis of his education or lack thereof, for that matter.  As a man who has not been able to achieve the level of education he would have liked, I respect Mr. Poliquin’s accomplishments.

Many caucus attendees also expressed a strong dislike for lawyers.  Remember that legislation is the business of lawmaking and it takes a lawyer to catch a lawyer, to play on an old saying.  While it is true that lawyers have had a strangle hold on the modern political process, we still should not discount the need for their input in that process.  I have friends and mentors that are lawyers; therefore, I can attest, there is such a thing as a good honest lawyer.

The Maine Conservative Voice does have some issues with Mr. Poliquin. First, is his claim that he is the only candidate that is native to Maine.  Unfortunately for Mr. Poliquin, this claim shows a complete lack of research.  It took this columnist all of thirty seconds to find that Peter Mills was born in Farmington, Paul Lepage was born in Lewiston, and Steve Abbott was born in Orono.  Even with my nominal knowledge of geography, the fact that there is an ME attached to each one of those towns suggests that they could be in the State of Maine.  This may be a miscalculation by a campaign team but it is not very impressive.  I think Mainers are desperate enough for relief and freedom that, hopefully, we are beyond “you’re not from here” attitudes.  Just do the job, conservatively.

While this campaign tactic is a head scratcher, this next is a killer from a conservative point of view.  Mr. Poliquin is the only candidate, save for a liberal left wing loon, which is for mandatory background checks on guns.  Geography again, Mr. Poliquin.  This is the State of Maine.  Not even the Democrats and Peter Mills are for background checks.  They know better.  Les Otten didn’t even speak “reluctantly” in favor of this.  He knows better, amazingly.

This political stance will destroy Bruce Poliquin’s campaign unless he backs off it quickly.  Both Democrats and Republicans alike feel strongly about gun rights in Maine.  This columnist believes Bruce Poliquin is a clean candidate.  He is fiscally conservative, but his weakness on gun rights and social issues will probably be his undoing.

Finally, I would like to send heartfelt good wishes and a get well soon to Miriam McArthur of the Central Maine Republican Women.  Miriam is a driving force behind the Conservative movement in Piscataquis County.  Her impact is immeasurable.  My family’s prayers are with you in your battle with cancer.  We believe for the best.  God bless you! Get well soon!