BANGOR — Independent gubernatorial candidate Eliot Cutler said Thursday he “feels badly” for state Rep. Geoffrey Gratwick, D-Bangor, whose conversation with a constituent was secretly recorded and released by the Republican Party earlier this week.

Saying Gratwick was “a good guy caught in a bad system,” Cutler said he believes Gratwick has to toe his party’s line, preventing him from expressing his own views publicly without potentially upsetting his party. He said he believes party politics are preventing many people, both inside and outside politics, from openly expressing their views on this election.

In the short, edited-down recording of a conversation with a constituent, Gratwick says Michaud is “not a brain guy,” and that, “If it were Michaud and Cutler, I would have probably voted for Cutler, because I think he’s probably more measured, brighter.”

Cutler said the rest of what was said during that conversation also should have been made available. Democrats and Gratwick have both said the comments were taken out of context and didn’t reflect the full gist of the conversation.

The use of short out-of-context snippets for political gains, whether recorded with both parties’ knowledge or secretly, is an unfortunate aspect of campaigns, Cutler added.

Cutler spoke to a small crowd of business leaders and local government officials at a Bangor Region Chamber of Commerce breakfast event Thursday at the Hilton Garden Inn.

Cutler and his spokeswoman, Crystal Canney, pointed to a case-in-point, a “tracker” armed with a video camera who arrived to record his speech and the subsequent interview with media. The tracker confirmed he was employed by the Democratic Party.

Cutler speculated that if a clip or quote from his Thursday speech appears in future advertising or campaign materials, only out-of-context snippets would be featured and misrepresent what he said. That is the challenge of being recorded during campaign season, he added.

Much of his speech focused on “the grim reality that Maine has fallen further and further behind New England and the rest of America,” in terms of economic growth.

He criticized Republicans and Gov. Paul LePage for lauding the creation of 20,000 jobs during his time in office. Cutler likened that to the Red Sox trumpeting their 63 wins this season, while ignoring the fact that they’ve lost 83 and are at the bottom of the division.

Still, Maine’s economic growth continues to lag far behind the rest of the region and it is known as the worst state in which to do businesses, he argued.

“He’s been unable to pull Maine out of its tailspin,” Cutler said.

Cutler also spent time laying out some plans for improving the state’s economy, which he expressed in his campaign book, “A State of Opportunity.” He said his policy proposals are sometimes his own and sometimes borrowed, but it doesn’t matter which side of the aisle solutions come from as long as they’re good ideas.

Cutler said both political parties have been spreading the message that a vote for Cutler is a wasted vote that will go toward the election of either LePage or U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud.

“They don’t want you to vote for the person you think would be the best governor, they don’t want you to vote your conscience,” he said, adding LePage has “proven he doesn’t belong in the Blaine House,” while Michaud wouldn’t have the ability to lead and improve Maine’s economic standing.

The other two candidates for governor are scheduled to speak at Bangor chamber breakfasts in coming weeks. LePage will take to the podium on Sept. 24. Michaud will speak on Oct. 14. Both events will be held at the Hilton Garden Inn in Bangor.

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