State Democrats are moving into their rivals’ former headquarters.

AUGUSTA (AP) – Heading into the 2004 presidential election year, Maine Democrats and Republicans have found some common ground.

For a brief time Wednesday, the Democratic majority bloc in the Maine Senate will be holding a fund-raiser just a couple of miles down the road from the State House at a building in Hallowell that has served as Maine Republican Party headquarters for nearly a decade.

The GOP state committee still operates out of a portion of the old barn-like landmark and will continue to do so until permanently moving into a new home closer to the Capitol back in Augusta.

But for now, the Senate Democratic fund-raiser has been sited on what has in recent years been Republican turf. And the Democratic invitations to the affair were pointed.

“Democratic Takeover Complete,” the invitations read.

“Please join the members of the Senate Democratic Caucus for our first ever reception in the now defunct Republican headquarters.”

Some Republicans who learned of the language in the invitations were displeased.

Also displeased was the prominent Democrat who recently bought the Hallowell building from the GOP and thus currently serves as the Republican state committee’s landlord, Kevin Mattson.

Mattson, a former executive director of the Maine Democratic Party, says he has forged cordial relations with Republican Party officials and had no part in any effort to embarrass them.

“The Republicans’ selling that building to me made for an interesting little story. But it’s been very friendly. They’re right wing, but they’re nice right-wingers,” he says.

The newly sold Hallowell building, located aside the Kennebec River at the bottom of a hill, narrowly escaped being hit by a truck earlier this year and had been crashed into in years past.

It now will feature a coffee house and clay works designed to fit the small city’s easy ambiance.

“If I had prior knowledge of this invitation and the incendiary language I would have put a stop to it immediately,” Mattson wrote to Maine Republican Party Chairwoman Kathy Watson.

Copied in were the top two Republicans in the Legislature – Senate Minority Leader Paul Davis and House Minority Leader Joe Bruno – and the top two Democrats – House Speaker Patrick Colwell and Senate President Beverly Daggett.

GOP Executive Director Dwayne Bickford said party officials believe they can get along with less space and at the same time save money by moving. Setting up shop within walking distance of the State House could also make the new Republican headquarters more convenient for legislators, he added.

In the meantime, there appear to be no hard feelings toward Mattson.

“Thank you for your letter addressing your frustration and concerns over the mailing sent by the Senate Democrat Caucus for an upcoming fund-raiser at your new coffee house,” Watson wrote back to Mattson.

“I appreciate your candor in the letter and the respect you have afforded our organization during our negotiations on the sale of the building. I have enjoyed working with you on other business and political issues during the last five years and take comfort in your displeasure with the fund-raising invitation sent by the Democrats,” Watson wrote.

Watson also suggested that Mattson might reconsider making the Hallowell building available to the Democrats. The Democratic fund-raiser, nonetheless, remains on for this week as does a Republican Senate fund-raiser scheduled Monday evening at the Senator Inn in Augusta.

House Democrats plan a similar event Wednesday and House Republicans are expected to stage a fund-raiser of their own early in the New Year before the regular legislative session starts and fund-raising is restricted for the duration.

Maine Democratic Party Chairwoman Dorothy Melanson, saying the state party organization was not officially involved, shrugged off the mini-controversy over the Democratic Senate fund-raising invitation.

“I thought it was kind of light. … I think it was a little light fun being poked,” she said.

“We are entering into a pretty intense political cycle and we’ll have barbs going back and forth like this. … I’ll probably save our ammo for bigger things,” she said.

AP-ES-12-07-03 1230EST