Democratic Super PAC Enters Maine Race

September 25, 2014

By Emily Cahn

Cain is a Democrat running in Maine. (Meredith Dake/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

House Majority PAC will start airing advertisements Friday targeting an open seat in Maine, suggesting Democrats are concerned the race could become more competitive than initially anticipated.

HMP, a super PAC aiding House Democrats, laid down a $270,000 buy on broadcast television in the Bangor and Portland markets, according to spokesman Matt Thornton.

Thornton said the buy aims to get their candidate “across the finish line safely” — and before other groups start spending there.

Maine’s 2nd District features an open seat race between state Sen. Emily Cain, a Democrat, and former state Treasurer Bruce Poliquin, a Republican. The race is currently rated a Leans Democratic contest by Rothenberg Political Report/Roll Call.

HMP’s television buy marks the first national group to enter the district in the general election. Neither the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee or the National Republican Congressional Committee have reserved time in the district.

“Up here, Bruce Poliquin made millions as a Wall Street banker, and took over $20,000 from the insurance industry,” a narrator says in the 30-second spot, which runs through Oct. 6. “No wonder Bruce Poliquin supports a radical plan that undermines Medicare and ends the guarantee down here.”

Rep. Michael H. Michaud, a Democrat, represented the 2nd District for six terms and is running for governor this cycle. In 2012, President Barack Obama won the district by a 9-point margin.

But Republicans argue the district could swing in the GOP’s direction in a good year for the party. Speaker John A. Boehner visited the district Thursday to headline a fundraiser for Poliquin.

An internal poll from Poliquin’s campaign had him down by a 4-point margin to Cain in August. That was within the survey’s margin of error.

The buy is also “in response to Boehner taking an interest in the race,” Thornton added.

The reservation also comes after HMP canceled buys in two other House contests on the map: A Democratic pickup opportunity in Michigan’s 1st District and another Democratic-held open seat contest in New York’s 21st District.