Americans for Tax Reform, a group that opposes any tax hikes, released the names of Maine Statehouse candidates who have signed a pledge to oppose and vote against any and all efforts to increase taxes. All who signed the pledge are Republicans.

The names include two candidates running for the state Senate, current House member Lois Snowe-Mellow, R-Poland who is challenging Sen. Neria Douglass, D-Auburn; and Simones Famous Hot Dog restaurant owner James Simones of Greene, who will run against former Sen. John Nutting, D-Leeds.

Others who have signed the “read my lips” pledge include local House incumbents seeking re-election. According to the ATR they are Rep. Thomas Shields, R-Auburn; Rep. Philip Cressey Jr., R-Baldwin; Rep. Robert Berube, R-Lisbon; and Rep. Michael Vaughan, R-Durham.

GOP open house

The Maine Republican Party officially opened its Maine Victory 2004 headquarters in Lewiston this week at 159 Lisbon St. with a party (that’s with a small “P.”)

About 50 GOP supporters turned out for the event, including Bush/Cheney 04 state chairman and former gubernatorial candidate Peter Cianchette, 2nd Congressional District candidate Brian Hamel, Senate hopeful Simones and a half-dozen other legislative candidates.

Cianchette, Hamel and Simones gave brief speeches.

Hamel used the opportunity to take a shot at Democratic Gov. John Baldacci, who beat Cianchette in the 2002 race for governor.

“I only have one regret, that we don’t have an election for governor this year,” Hamel said. “Because if we did, we know who’d be on top now, don’t we?”

Red, white and blue balloons covered the ceiling, snacks and soft drinks were served and a life-size cutout of President Bush stood near the door.

Maine Republican Party Executive Director Dwayne Bickford said the office was there for all GOP candidates, especially those who can’t afford their own campaign headquarters and need a place to leave campaign literature and marshall volunteers for door-to-door canvassing.

Hamel must pay for the portion of the office his campaign uses in order to comply with federal campaign finance laws, said Ben Golnik, his campaign director.

Maine Victory also has campaign headquarters in Presque Isle and South Portland, he said.

Calling all voters

Long gone are the days of campaign phone banks that conjured images of snarled phone lines. These days, thanks to wireless technology, setting up a site where groups of volunteers congregate to cold call voters takes minutes instead of days.

At the Maine Victory 2004 headquarters in Lewiston, volunteers were seen sitting around folding tables with cell phones pressed to their ears, seeking votes for GOP candidates and encouraging would-be voters to register.

Near the front of the office, a dozen cell phones were lined up on a table like race cars.

Asked whether calling voters in mid-August wasn’t somewhat premature, Maine Victory 2004 Executive Director Michael Leavitt said he didn’t think so.

“I think this election year people are paying attention earlier than usual,” he said.

– By Staff Writers Bonnie Washuk and Christopher Williams