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Pat LaMarche |
MESSAGE AND STRATEGY “Common sense,” LaMarche replies when asked to express her message in a line. This nebulousness results from a need to broaden out from the environmentally active folks who gave her seven percent in her 1998 run for governor. She has thrashed about trying to find an arresting message. Lately, she has pushed her universal, tax-paid health-insurance plan. She says it would take health-insurance costs off the back of business, bringing prosperity.TALENT LaMarche is politically experienced, having also run for vice-president on the Greens’ national ticket in 2004. Jonathan Carter, the 2002 Green gubernatorial contender, says he’s the unofficial campaign manager, but LaMarche says he has “no authority over policy and strategy.” She is trying to distance herself publicly from him because polls have shown that he has high negatives from his aggressive environmentalism.
LaMarche has 12 paid staffers. A large crew is necessary to counter the Democratic and Republican organizations, she says. Jeff Toorish handles message and media. He is the former chief lobbyist for the paper industry. Putting Carter and Toorish together shows “I’m a true unifier,” LaMarche says.
MONEY As of September 26, the campaign had $132,000 on hand. Her Clean Election allotment has been eaten up by staff and consultant salaries and expenses. She says she will sue the ethics commission to force recognition of those massive party Baldacci and Woodcock advertising efforts as campaign expenditures. If successful, the matching funds would arrive in suitcases.
TV ADS In two of them, she talks too fast. In contrast, she put up a 30-second silent spot, just white words on a black background, in which she said she would refuse to send Maine troops to Iraq. But the feds have authority in this matter. The Iraq war spot is “probably risky,” Toorish admits.
NEWS COVERAGE LaMarche says she is “disillusioned” with the press for falling for Merrill’s superficial ideas and for not questioning Baldacci on the costs of his promises. She got attention for her universal-coverage health plan announcement, but in the Age of Bush even the liberals appear to have given up on that goal.
GRASS-ROOTS Carter has a database of volunteers from his past tries for office and past and present initiative campaigns. The Green Party has a corps of activists. But LaMarche’s grassroots effort will be puny compared to what the Democrats and Republicans can muster.
