BC-ME–Republican Convention, Bjt,650

1,600 GOP delegates to gather for state party gathering

AP Photo

By GLENN ADAMS

Associated Press Writer

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) – With optimism running high for Republican wins in presidential to state legislative races, 1,600 delegates to the party’s two-day state convention gather Friday to rally support for their candidates and attend to other party business.

Party unity will be a major theme during the convention at the Augusta Civic Center, Maine GOP leaders said on the eve of its opening.

President Bush’s chief of staff, Andrew Card, will be keynote speaker Friday night at the convention banquet. Republicans will also hear from the president in a five-minute video that will touch on the war on terror, education, the economy and other issues, said party Executive Director Dwayne Bickford.

The presidential race is drawing a high level of interest in Maine, which is considered a swing state in the November race. Al Gore carried the state against Bush four years ago.

Still, the convention may lack the hoopla delegates see in years when there are multiple candidates for high state offices, said Merton Henry, who has attended every state GOP convention since 1948 with the exception of 1952 and is this year’s parliamentarian.

But other party leaders say the GOP’s two candidates for Maine congressional seats, Brian Hamel and Charles Summers, could receive an unusually high level of exposure given the lack of gubernatorial and U.S. Senate races this year.

Hamel, a former Loring Development Authority president, and Summers, a former U.S. Senate aide and a former state senator, are both seeking to oust incumbent Democrats.

Hamel, who faces Rep. Michael Michaud in the 2nd District, will speak to delegates Friday afternoon and Summers, who will take on Rep. Tom Allen in the 1st District, gets his time at the podium Saturday morning.

“Our candidates are no slouches by any means,” said state Sen. Paul Davis of Sangerville, who also chairs the GOP Platform Committee. “Incumbents need to look out.”

Republicans are also charged up about their slate of candidates for legislative seats. For the first time in decades, said Bickford, every Maine House and Senate district drew a Republican candidate for this year’s elections.

Leaders see that as a positive sign they can wrest control of the State House from Democrats.

“We think we’ve got an excellent chance,” said Davis. “We feel that the issues are ours.”

Besides hearing from the candidates, Republican delegates will hear from Maine’s U.S. Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, on Saturday.

They will also transact party business such as electing 18 delegates and 18 alternates to the national convention scheduled for Aug. 30-Sept. 2 in New York.

A three-way race has developed for the national committeewoman’s seat to be filled: incumbent Jan Staples of Cape Elizabeth faces challenges by Carol Graves of Brunswick and Karen Raye of Perry. A national committeeman is also to be chosen.

The delegates have until 11 a.m. Friday to propose changes to a two-page party platform that’s being put before the convention the following day.

The statement of party principles begins with a statement calling for support for Bush “in his effort to continue the defense of our nation against terrorist attacks.”

The platform also calls for state spending controls, reduced taxes, affordable health care through free-market reforms, and an affirmation of “the sanctity of life and the right of parents to be involved in the reproductive decisions of their minor children.”

Davis said a range of viewpoints was represented in drafting the platform and he doesn’t expect much debate.

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On the Net:

Maine Republican Party: http://www.mainegop.com/

AP-ES-05-13-04 1708EDT