The Maine Republican Party, attempting to hurt Senate Candidate and current Congressman Tom Allen (D,ME-1), issued a press release:
"Congressman Allen really seems to have lost interest in showing up to
work," party Chairman Mark Ellis said in a statement. "At
the very least, he should tell his constituents why he is choosing to leave
them unrepresented in Congress less than a year after he was re-elected."
In news releases last week and this week, the Maine Republican Party
has made an issue of Allen's voting record. They say he's missed 132 votes.
Wow ... in the heat of a contested Senate campaign, the Maine GOP really looked as if they were scoring a big win against Susan Collins rival.
But then the truth came out:
Allen’s campaign manager, Valerie Martin, said Allen, who is challenging
Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins for her seat, missed votes on Monday
because he was at a funeral.
"Tom was at a funeral," Martin said to explain Allen's most recent missed
votes.
"When these things happen, Tom puts family first."
Meanwhile, the Susan Collins strategy seems clear - hit Allen for missing votes while he's busy campaigning to unseat her. However, the GOP's statement on Allen's 132 missed votes is a bit misleading:
Martin said that sounded about right, but that the total is over 11
years. Martin also said Allen has cast more than 7,000 votes and has a 98 percent lifetime voting record.
A few hours later .... Maine GOP inserts foot into mouth:
"It has come to our attention that Congressman Tom Allen was in Bangor on Monday attending the funeral of a family member," said Chairman Mark Ellis.
"Without question, the most difficult times in our lives are those in which we grieve the loss of family or friends. Our thoughts are with Congressman Allen and his family during this difficult time."
What's more important to this whole story is the fact that Maine GOP will do anything to try to set Allen, and his momentum, back. Even if Tom had missed those 3 votes to attend ... let's say a fund raiser for his campaign ... would that have really hurt Maine people? What issue or bill was SO pressing that the Maine GOP needed to blast a sitting Congressmen for skipping?
Answer = Nothing:
The Allen campaign said he was attending the funeral of his cousin's wife, and that the three votes he missed had to do with naming post offices in other states and honoring a National Guard unit from another state.
The election is more than a year away and already Susan Collins and her GOP buddies are attacking Tom Allen over post offices.
I'm sending a message (but not through one of those post offices that Congress named without the input of Tom Allen) and contributing to Congressman Tom Allen's Senate Campaign.
I encourage you to help get our majority in the US Senate Closer to 60 by Donating to Tom Allen. So far his fund raising numbers and cash on hand have impressed many, but he still trails Collins by over a million dollars.
This is a top-tier race and a great chance for a Democratic Pick-Up. The more Tom raises in the coming months the more Democrats around the country are going to get excited about unseating Susan Collins.
Go to Act Blue to Help the Effort:
http://www.actblue.com/...