AUGUSTA — Gov.-elect Paul LePage’s recent statement about a process for overturning health care reform prompted a clarification Monday, in response to criticism. LePage was quoted Sunday by MaineToday Media saying that he believes Maine should join a multi-state lawsuit challenging the federal health care reform law, and that he had learned that if 35 […]
Paul LePage
Posted inMaine, sj-web
2 Maine Cabinet nominees to be named
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — Maine Gov.-elect Paul LePage plans to announce the first of his Cabinet appointments. The Republican’s transition team spokesman, Dan Demeritt, says LePage will announce his choices for commissioners of the Department of Public Safety as well as Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management. The planned announcements come amid speculation about who will […]
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LePage to back Snowe, tea party challenger or not
Gov.-elect Paul LePage said Thursday that he would support U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, if she decides to run for a fourth term in 2012, an endorsement that could rile the incoming governor’s tea party backers. LePage told the National Review that he would “absolutely” back Snowe regardless of whether the tea party runs a […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
After harsh words, Maine’s LePage to meet Obama
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — The Maine Republican who made headlines with his “go to hell” remark aimed at President Barack Obama says he’s looking forward to meeting his commander in chief on Thursday. Gov.-elect Paul LePage, who won a five-way race with support of the tea party, is joining other governors-elect in Washington to meet […]
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Lepage’s tea party adviser labeled ‘extremist’
AUGUSTA — Gov.-elect Paul LePage announced Tuesday the addition of 35 advisers representing what he described as a wide cross-section of political and business interests to help review applications for administration positions and department heads. But within hours of the announcement at the State House Hall of Flags, one team member, Pete Harring, leader of […]
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LePage expands transition effort
LePage, who succeeds Democratic Gov. John Baldacci on Jan. 5, said the diverse group of volunteers will help identify skills needed by applicants for key administration positions as advisers wade through the roughly 1,000 applications that have already been submitted. “We are looking for the best and brightest without concern about political party or labels,” […]
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Primary system biggest problem for independents
“Who Stole Election Day?” the Wall Street Journal asked in an opinion-page headline Wednesday. And hey, look: Lewiston, Maine, was right there in the first sentence of an opinion column written by oh-so-nearly-elected-governor Eliot Cutler, who cites the story of a local woman who voted early and later wished she hadn’t. While the headline was […]
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LePage names bipartisan Maine budget team
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — Maine Gov.-elect Paul LePage has announced a bipartisan team of advisers who will fashion a two-year state budget that closes a widening gap between anticipated revenues and expenses. In a State House news conference Tuesday, the Republican said he’s taking a step toward keeping a campaign promise to deliver a more […]
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LePage team says Dirigo will be replaced when it’s ‘Diri-gone’
AUGUSTA — A spokesman for Gov.-elect Paul LePage said Wednesday that the incoming governor will have a comprehensive plan to replace Dirigo Health and rejected criticism that the new administration’s plan to kill the program would benefit insurance companies. Dan Demeritt, LePage’s press secretary, said details of the governor-elect’s health care plan were still being […]
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CEO of conservative think tank co-chairs LePage team
AUGUSTA — Backed by a Republican majority in both chambers of the Legislature, Gov.-elect Paul LePage on Friday announced the co-chairs of his transition team and promised to make his administration the most transparent in state history. LePage, elected with 39 percent of the vote in Tuesday’s election, said voters had sent “a clear message” […]