Campaigns go online

Maine’s gubernatorial candidates are using the Internet to connect with voters in a variety of ways in 2010.

Republican candidate Steve Abbott recently announced he will host a live chat online at 2 p.m. on Monday. According to his very traditional news release, Abbott will discuss issues with the public for half an hour.

“It is great meeting and listening to old and new friends at caucuses all over Maine. I asked my new media team to arrange this initial online live chat as a way for me to ‘meet’ even more people, especially people not attending caucuses,” said Abbott in the release.

To participate, visit http://abbottforgovernor.com/live-blog-steve-abbott.

Other candidates have set up blogs on their campaign Web sites that are updated with posts describing the candidate’s experience at recent events or to discuss issues.

Many campaigns have also set up Facebook and Twitter accounts.

Catch a candidate

Republican gubernatorial candidates are on parade around the state, as they continue to work caucuses and other events. Unlike the Democrats who hold one caucus day for all communities, Republicans stagger theirs.

The Androscoggin County caucus, scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 27, has attracted Republican hopefuls Matt Jacobson, Paul LePage, Peter Mills, Les Otten and Bruce Poliquin, according to their Web sites.

Jacobson will be at Gritty McDuff’s in Auburn on Wednesday, Feb. 24, from 5 to 7 p.m. to “speak about his vision for Maine and his qualifications for governor.”

Fifteen candidates are expected in Farmington on Wednesday, Feb. 24, at 7 a.m. to attend the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce’s monthly breakfast. The list of expected attendees includes Democrats, Republicans, a Green Independent and Independent candidates.

Back to work

Congress is scheduled to return to work in Washington, D.C., next week. The U.S. Senate is expected to take up legislation aimed at job creation. The package is expected to include a variety of tax cuts for small businesses and may include other initiatives. The House already passed its version of the legislation last December.

Also on the horizon is more discussion about reforming health care, with a summit scheduled by the White House to bring House and Senate leadership from both parties together. White House officials say they will post their own updated health care legislation online on Monday. It is said to be somewhat of a compromise measure based on the two different versions drafted in the House and Senate.

— Rebekah Metzler

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