Lots to report this week! I won the endorsement of another prominent legislator, attended the annual Potato Blossom Festival in Aroostook County, and had the grand opening of my hometown headquarters in Bangor.

I want to thank Senator Elizabeth Schneider of Orono for her endorsement. Sen. Schneider is seeking her fourth term in the Senate, where she chairs the important Business, Research and Economic Development Committee. She joins Senator Dennis Damon and Representative Leila Percy in publicly supporting my candidacy. I thank all three for their courage and leadership. I know it isn’t easy to go against your party’s nominee, but these legislators (along with the list of prominent Republicans whose support we announced recently), are putting Maine’s future ahead of partisan politics. That’s what Maine people want.

Like we say, we have the biggest tent in this race and all are welcome!

Sen. Schneider greets supporters at the Bangor office opening.

I kicked off my trip to The County with a visit to the McCrum family farm, where Darrell McCrum brought together a group of local farmers to talk about agricultural issues. From there we went on to Easton for a tour of the McCain’s potato processing plant. Most of the McDonald’s restaurants in New England are made from good, Maine potatoes at the McCain’s facility, which is spotless, and the fries are delicious! Later that afternoon, I toured the Nordic Heritage Center in Presque Isle which will be on the 2011 Biathlon World Cup schedule.

Friday evening we went to the Maine Potato Board Industry dinner, where we were served a delicious steak and potato dinner and saw lots of wonderful people. The highlight of the evening was the harmonica duet from the Farm Family of the Year.

On Saturday, we drove to the St. John Valley for a breakfast meeting at Rock’s Family Diner in Fort Kent, before returning to Fort Fairfield to march with supporters in the huge Potato Blossom Festival parade. After the parade, Melanie and I were treated to a family BBQ at the home of new friends and supporters Janet and Chip Beckwith.

It’s always a good time in The County, and thanks to everyone who gave Melanie and me such a warm welcome.

We had a wonderful time at Chip Beckwith’s BBQ.

I was thrilled to have the grand opening of my hometown headquarters in Bangor Tuesday. Many old family friends, along with lots of great new supporters, were there. My good friend and supporter Richard Stone joined me for the official ribbon cutting – thanks Richard!

Richard Stone prepares to cut the ribbon on Bangor!

This week, I am campaigning in Auburn, the Greater Portland area, Hollis, Gardiner, and Augusta.

Have a great week and I’ll see you on the campaign trail!

P.S. Please help us spread the word of my Independent Candidacy by forwarding this email to your friends and family!

Eliot Surges in Latest Poll

A new poll released Monday showed that Eliot has more than doubled his support in the state while support for both Mitchell and LePage is slipping. This is exactly the kind of momentum we want at this stage of the campaign.

The Portland Press Herald article reported “declines for the two major-party candidates and a surge for independent Eliot Cutler.” Cutler campaign manager Ted O’Meara is quoted:

“After the primary, we went up on TV with a modest ad buy, and to double support while Mitchell and LePage are trending downward is exactly where we want to be.”

http://www.pressherald.com/news/cutler-surges-in-poll-as-lepage-mitchell-decline_2010-07-20.html

The Barefoot Contessa’s Visit on July 30th

By now, I hope you have received an electronic invitation to the lunch with Ina Garten on July 30th. We are getting a great response, and I hope you can join us.

The private reception is already sold out, but there is plenty of room left for the buffet lunch and conversation with Eliot and Ina.

You can register at the below link and please make sure to send the invitation along to your foodie friends:

http://cutler2010.com/2010/07/join-eliot-for-lunch-with-the-barefoot-contessa-on-july-30th/

Additional Media Coverage

Eliot continued to receive excellent media coverage this past week, in addition to the press on the released poll.

Eliot is quoted in prominent National blog, Politico, in an article titled, “2010: The Year of the Independent?”

“The [Democrats and Republicans] nominated very extreme candidates, at the far end of both parties,” he said of Democratic nominee Libby Mitchell and GOP standard-bearer Paul LePage. “[F]or a candidate like me … it’s really liberating, because I say what I think; I don’t sugarcoat anything, and I don’t have to balance what one group wants against what another group wants.”

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0710/39758.html

Every Donation Counts

As a privately funded campaign, we are depending on you to help us raise the funds we need to be successful. Please contribute online today or mail your check to Cutler 2010, P.O. Box 15277, Portland, ME 04112. The maximum contribution is $750 — per individual or business — but every contribution helps.

Our website allows you to make contributions automatically every month. Some of Eliot’s most loyal supporters have chosen this as the best way for them to support the campaign, with contributions of just $10 or $20 a month. That’s a great way to help the campaign!

Thank you.

Stay in Touch with the Campaign

You can follow Eliot’s campaign on our website, www.Cutler2010.com and on our Facebook, Twitter and YouTube pages.

If you want to get in touch with the campaign, please give us a call at 207-699-4401 (toll free, 877-213-5112) or email us at campaign@cutler2010.com.

Another great week! Over a dozen prominent Republicans from around the state endorsed my candidacy. The support of these leaders in their communities and in the state is further evidence that support for my Independent candidacy reaches across both sides of the aisle and puts partisan politics behind us. Here is our press release on the subject, which includes the beginning list of “Republicans for Cutler”.

Last Saturday’s annual Moxie Festival and Parade in Lisbon Falls was another highlight. If you haven’t made it to this event, it is a must-visit for all Mainers. I enjoyed marching with a high-energy group of supporters and loyal volunteers, including Lewiston Mayor Larry Gilbert; Lucien Gosselin, President of the Lewiston/Auburn Economic Growth Council; Jonathan LaBonte, Androscoggin County Chair and Executive Director of the Androscoggin Land Trust; and Nathan Grant, Lisbon Falls resident and a student representative to the University of Maine System Board of Trustees.

While it was hard to compete with all of the old-fashioned Moxie paraphernalia (Moxie cars, horses, airplanes, and more!), our group received a warm and sometimes boisterous reception. You could feel the excitement as we walked down the street. I saw lots of “Cutler 2010” stickers during the rest of the day – thank you to all of our new supporters! The rain started right after the parade finished, but the Cutler 2010 team met a lot more festival-goers throughout the day at our booth.

Waving to the crowd at the Moxie Parade.

I kicked this week off with a visit to Oxford County, where Al Bancroft, Founder of Bancroft Contracting, took me on a tour of local businesses.

I heard from Rupert and Chris at Grover Gundrilling about health care costs.

In addition to Lisbon Falls and Oxford County, this week I am also campaigning in the Greater Portland area, Augusta, and Hallowell, before heading up to Aroostook County this weekend for the Maine Potato Blossom Festival.

Have a great week and I’ll see you on the campaign trail!

P.S. Please help us spread the word of my Independent Candidacy by forwarding this email to your friends and family!

The Potato Blossom Festival: Join us!

Eliot, Melanie, and the Cutler 2010 Team is heading up to the Potato Blossom Festival this weekend in Fort Fairfield – we can’t wait! We will be walking in the Potato Blossom Parade on Saturday, July 17th, and will have a booth on Friday and Saturday. The lineup for the parade starts at 11:00 am, and the parade starts at 1:00pm.

We need supporters (you!) to both walk in the parade and help staff the booth. If you can attend, please email kaitlin@cutler2010.com for additional details. We hope to see you there!

Old Hallowell Days Parade: Join us!

While Eliot will be busy in The County, supporters from the Hallowell area will be walking in the Old Hallowell Days Parade on Saturday, June 17th. Lineup is at 9:00 am and the parade starts at 10:00.

We need supporters (you!) to walk in the parade with us to show the momentum building around Eliot’s candidacy. If you can attend, please email claire@cutler2010.com for additional details. We hope to see you there!

Grand Opening of the Cutler 2010 Bangor Office: Join us!

We are excited to be opening our third campaign office in Eliot’s hometown of Bangor next week.

When: Tuesday, June 20, 2010, 10:00 – 11:30 AM

Where: 73 Central St., Bangor

Please email kaitlin@cutler2010.com if you are able to attend.

The Barefoot Contessa’s Visit on July 30th

Earlier this week, you should have received an invitation to the lunch with Ina Garten on July 30th.

For additional details and to register online, please visit the below link and make sure to send the invitation along to your foodie friends!

http://cutler2010.com/2010/07/join-eliot-for-lunch-with-the-barefoot-contessa-on-july-30th/

Every Donation Counts

As a privately funded campaign, we are depending on you to help us raise the funds we need to be successful.  Please contribute online today or mail your check to:

Cutler 2010
P.O. Box 15277
Portland, ME 04112

The maximum contribution is $750, but every contribution helps.

Our website allows you to make contributions automatically every month. Some of Eliot’s most loyal supporters have chosen this as the best way for them to support the campaign, with contributions of just $10 or $20 a month. That’s a great way to help the campaign!

Thank you.

Stay in Touch with the Campaign

You can follow Eliot’s campaign on our website,www.Cutler2010.com and on our Facebook, Twitter and YouTube site.

If you want to get in touch with the campaign, please give us a call at 207-699-4401 (toll free, 877-213-5112) or email us at campaign@cutler2010.com

This past weekend was marked by even more of the momentum and support that are building around our campaign.  With three parades in two days, we needed hardy and dedicated volunteers to take precious time from their July 4th weekend to walk with me, and scores rose to the occasion.  Thank you to everyone who joined us – we couldn’t be doing this without you!

On Saturday, Melanie and I walked in the Bar Harbor Parade (I was the only gubernatorial candidate to show up in Hancock County for the 4th) with Dennis and Bonnie Damon, Jill Goldthwait and a crowd of volunteers.  We received a warm response from the crowds along the parade route, and afterwards at the ball field where we watched the famous lobster races.

Max getting ready for the Bar Harbor 4th of July Parade.

On Sunday, it was off to my hometown of Bangor to march in the huge parade that makes its way from Brewer across the river and through downtown Bangor.  I was especially touched when a woman yelled out of the crowd that she knew my mother well and that she was a wonderful woman. (She’s right!)  Some supporters drove all the way from Portland to walk with us, and Andy and Patty Hamilton led a big group of old and new friends from the Bangor area who made up our contingent.

Cheering “Happy Independents Day!” in Bangor.

After the Bangor parade, we flew to Eastport in time for its legendary parade. We all marched with City Council President Bob Peacock, his wife Jeanne, and his daughter Ansley; School Committee and AOS chair Shannon Emery; and Miles, Sharon and Meredith Theeman.  The enthusiasm of the Eastport crowd for my independent candidacy will carry me for weeks!

Getting ready for the Eastport 4th of July Parade.

After the parade, Captain Bob Peacock took us out in the Quoddy Pilot for a couple of hours of whale spotting in Cobscook Bay and a good look at Head Harbor Passage. There’s not a more skilled pilot in the waters of the Maine coast than Bob Peacock.  Plus, when it comes to knowing how to attract whales with music, Bob’s got it down!

Earlier in the week I spent two days with my good friend Don Perkins visiting fishermen, dealers, processors, researchers and others in Portland, Port Clyde, South Thomaston, Rockland, Stonington, Gouldsboro, Prospect Harbor, and Cutler.  Maine’s coastal communities recognize the significance of new markets – like China – for our fisheries, and the folks I met emphasized to me the importance of developing these markets as one of the key steps in our efforts to strengthen these communities. The coast of Maine defines us. It is part of the soul of our state, and I am committed to maintaining its vitality.

I am campaigning this week in the Greater Portland area, Augusta, and Lisbon Falls.

Have a great week and I’ll see you on the campaign trail!

P.S.  We are closing in on another financial reporting deadline. Help us demonstrate our strength by  donating online today.

The Moxie Festival: Join us!

Like most Mainers, Eliot drinks Moxie, so we are thrilled to be walking in the Moxie Festival parade this Saturday, June 10!  The festival is in Lisbon Falls, and we need to line up for the parade at 8:00 am.  After the parade, we will also have a booth until 4:00 pm.

We need supporters both to walk in the parade and help man the booth. If you can participate, please email  kaitlin@cutler2010.com for additional details.  We hope to see you there!

Eliot loves Moxie!

Continued Media Coverage

Eliot once again is gaining national media coverage. Monday’s cover story in USA Today, “Independents Gain Favor in Governors’ Races,” features Eliot and Rhode Island Independent Lincoln Chafee. Here is one of Eliot’s quotes:

“One of the things we’re seeing this year is a voter revolt against the extremes in both parties and a desire to find candidates who can be elected from the middle and who can govern from the middle.”

Former Governor Angus King also weighed in on the growing popularity of Independent candidates, saying,

“I think this trend will continue and it should be a wake-up call to the parties…If they continue to spend more time on picking each other apart and less time on problem-solving, the American people are going to find other options.”

The Barefoot Contessa’s visit on July 30

Many of you have already expressed your excitement over our announcement in last week’s newsletter that Ina Garten will be joining Eliot for a very special noontime lunch on July 30. Save that date!  An electronic invitation will be sent to you in the next couple of days, and we hope that you will forward it along to all your friends who are Ina Garten fans.

Independent. Just Like Maine.

We hope you have had a chance to view our recent TV ad: Independent. Just like Maine. The ad has received great responses from around the state, and was effective in continuing to get Eliot’s name out in front of people.

Please forward this link to the ad to friends and family who might be interested in Eliot’s message: http://www.youtube.com/user/EliotCutler#p/u/0/uq4XMB6Lmlg

Also, to help us develop and air additional ads, please donate today.

Every Donation Counts

As a privately funded campaign, we are depending on you to help us raise the funds we need to be successful. Please contribute online today or mail your check to Cutler 2010, P.O. Box 15277, Portland, ME 04112. The maximum contribution is $750 - per individual or business - but every contribution helps.

Our website allows you to make contributions automatically every month. Some of Eliot’s most loyal supporters have chosen this as the best way for them to support the campaign, with contributions of just $10 or $20 a month. That’s a great way to help the campaign!

Thank you.

Stay in Touch with the Campaign

You can follow Eliot’s campaign on our website, www.Cutler2010.com and on our Facebook, Twitter and YouTube

If you want to get in touch with the campaign, please give us a call at 207-699-4401 (toll free, 877-213-5112) or email us at campaign@cutler2010.com

The momentum continues to build!  More and more people are seeing my candidacy as a real and attractive alternative to politics as usual, and the campaign is growing stronger every day.

On Monday, two of the state’s leading Democratic lawmakers, State Senator Dennis Damon (D-Trenton) and State Representative Leila J. Percy (D-Phippsburg), publicly announced their endorsement of me as the most qualified to be governor.  Thank you, Dennis and Leila, for standing with me!

Over the coming months, you will see more and more endorsements, from all three political parties and from unenrolled independents.  We have a big tent, and all are welcome!

I continue to meet with great people from all over Maine at their workplaces, at community events and in their homes. Maine people ask tough, honest questions of candidates.  I give them straight answers because that’s what they expect and deserve — and because I want people to know that I am not afraid to make the tough decisions that will be required of the next governor.

As usual, I had many campaign stops this past week. Over the weekend, I met folks at the Whatever Family Festival in Augusta and the Strawberry Festival in Cape Elizabeth.

Shaking hands at the Whatever Family Festival in Augusta.

I am campaigning this week in Yarmouth, Appleton, Camden, Bangor, Lincoln, Millinocket, Boothbay Harbor, Gardiner, Augusta, and Hallowell.

Additionally, I will be celebrating the 4th of July by taking part in parades in Bar Harbor, Bangor, and Eastport.  More information is below on how you can walk with me to show your support!
Have a great week and I’ll see you on the campaign trail!

P.S.  We are growing fast and our opponents are getting nervous!  Please help us raise the money we need to get our message out and respond to the negative attacks that are surely coming our way. Please donate now.

4th of July Parades: Join us!

The Cutler 2010 Team will be walking alongside Eliot at the Bar Harbor, Bangor, and Eastport 4th of July parades. Additional information on each parade is below. If you can join us, please email kaitlin@cutler2010.com for logistics information (where to meet, etc.). It’ll be a lot of fun!  It is important that we have a good crowd walking with us, so we hope that we’ll see you there!

Bar Harbor 4th of July Parade
Date: Saturday, July 3rd
Arrival time: 9:00 am (parade starts at 10:00 am)
Location: Livingston Rd., Bar Harbor

Bangor 4th of July Parade
Date: Sunday, July 4th
Arrival time: 10:00 am (parade starts at 11:00 am)
Location: Acme St. in Brewer

Eastport 4th of July Parade
Date: Sunday, July 4th
Arrival time: 1:30 pm (parade starts at 2:00 pm)
Location: Eastport Fire Station

Please email kaitlin@cutler2010.com if you would like to participate.

The Barefoot Contessa is Coming to Maine

Ina Garten — the “Barefoot Contessa,” popular cookbook author and star of the Food Network — is coming to Maine on Juy 30 to support Eliot’s campaign.  Long time friends, Eliot and Ina will talk about Eliot’s plan for Maine and the importance of local agriculture. Stay tuned for more information about our special lunchtime event with Ina and Eliot.

Continued Media Coverage

The Times Record published a great editorial last week that touted Eliot’s leadership. Please take a minute to read “Eliot Cutler’s Initiative.”

Here is an excerpt:

“In an early contest to display leadership qualities so sorely lacking in state government for the last eight years, Cutler towered above the Democratic and Republican standard bearers by reaching out to potential trade partners while his two chief rivals in the Nov. 2 general election surrounded themselves with uncomfortable party primary losers.”

Well-read political blog, Pine Tree Politics, posted an article titled “Two Maine Democrats Endorse Cutler” by Derek Viger on the implications of State Senator Dennis Damon (D-Trenton) and State Representative Leila J. Percy (D-Phippsburg) endorsements. Here is an excerpt:

“Support from party legislators means something else for Cutler.  They can show that Cutler is, as he argues, someone who can shake hands with both aisles and create an environment of non-partisanship in Augusta.”

Every Donation Counts

As a privately funded campaign, we are depending on you to help us raise the funds we need to be successful. Please contribute online today or mail your check to Cutler 2010, P.O. Box 15277, Portland, ME 04112. The maximum contribution is $750, but every contribution helps.

Our website allows you to make contributions automatically every month. Some of Eliot’s most loyal supporters have chosen this as the best way for them to support the campaign, with contributions of just $10 or $20 a month. That’s a great way to help the campaign!

Thank you.

Stay in Touch with the Campaign

You can follow Eliot’s campaign on our website, www.Cutler2010.com and on our Facebook, Twitter and YouTube pages.

If you want to get in touch with the campaign, please give us a call at 207-699-4401 (toll free, 877-213-5112) or email us at campaign@cutler2010.com

In the two weeks since the primary election, our campaign office has been inundated with calls and e-mails of support. Democrats and Republicans from across the state who believe that the parties nominated their most extreme candidates are joining Greens and Independents who have found a home under our Big Tent. We don’t ask for credentials at the door. We don’t care what your political party is or who you supported in the primary, if anyone. We ask only if you love Maine and want state government to work. If your answer is yes, there’s a place for you in this campaign.

Every day, people are signing up to volunteer, host parties and introduce me to their friends, and the excitement of our campaign is spreading across the state. Thank you to all of you who have reached out to us!

Last week I hosted the chairmen of COFCO, China’s largest food company, and Hopu, one of China’s largest and most important investment companies. They came to Maine to see our lobster, wild blueberry, and aquaculture industries, to sample our wares, and to explore the potential for exporting large quantities of our products to the China market. China currently imports lobster from Australia – lobsters that have no claws and considerably less flavor than the lobsters from the coast of Maine.

During the visit, we pulled traps in Casco Bay with Captain Tom Martin on Lucky Catch, toured a lobster processing plant in Portland, and met with fishermen, dealers, processors and other industry folks at the Gulf of Maine Research Institute. Then, we headed up to tour wild blueberry growing and processing facilities in Deblois and Cherryfield.

Checking out Maine lobster on the Lucky Catch.

Kim Higgins of Jasper Wyman & Son talks with Chinese business leaders at a wild blueberry field in Deblois.

In addition to the greater Portland area and Washington County, I also had campaign stops last week in Woolwich, Bath, Lewiston, Auburn, Freeport, and Augusta.

This week, I’ll be campaigning in the Greater Portland area, Augusta, Bangor, and Yarmouth.

Have a great week and I’ll see you on the campaign trail!

P.S. We are growing fast! Please donate to our campaign today.

Grand Opening of Cutler 2010 Lewiston/Auburn Office

We had the grand opening of the Cutler 2010 Lewiston/Auburn Headquarters last week – thank you to all who joined us! The event, catered by area icon Simones Hotdog Stand, emphasized Eliot’s commitment to the Lewiston/Auburn community. The presence of Androscoggin County Commissioner Jon LaBonte and many local leaders showed the community’s support for Eliot’s candidacy. The highlight of the event was the official ribbon cutting ceremony with Mayors Dick Gleason of Auburn and Larry Gilbert of Lewiston.

Our new office is located at 1 Great Falls Plaza in Auburn.

Cutler 2010 Team Supporting Southern Maine Pride Festival

The Cutler 2010 campaign team was a busy table sponsor (the only gubernatorial campaign sponsor) at the Southern Maine Pride Festival this weekend. Eliot met a lot of wonderful folks, and was proud to support the LGBT community.

Meeting folks at the Southern Maine Pride Festival.

Significant Media Coverage in Past Weeks

Eliot has received significant media coverage throughout the state, and nationally, in the days following the election. Here are some examples:

The Portland Press Herald reflected the general tone of the post-primary press coverage in an article titled “Governor Choices: Left, Right, Room in the Center.” Here is an excerpt:

“Michael Franz, a professor of government at Bowdoin College in Brunswick, said he foresees a ‘pretty aggressive’ three-way race.”

“‘With Libby on the left, LePage on the right, Cutler has a chance to capture the center,’ he said.”

The widely read political blog, Pine Tree Politics, echoed a similar sentiment in a piece titled, “The Election Turnpike: Lanes to the Left, Right, Center,” by Clark Phinney.

“Last Tuesday Maine handed the Blaine house to Eliot Cutler.”

The visit by the Chinese business leaders also caught journalists’ attention.

The Portland Press Herald touted the visit in an article titled, “Giving China a Taste of Maine,” quoting Eliot:

“I want them to understand Maine lobster is better than Australia and New Zealand lobster, that we produce enough to export to China, and that it is a sustainable fishery — which is very important to China — and that they and we can make a lot of money with trade going that way.”

And from the lobster industry perspective:

“Dane Somers, executive director of the Maine Lobster Promotion Council, said working with COFCO would be an enormous opportunity. He said it would broaden the market and help firm up prices for exports.”

The Bangor Daily News also covered the China story in an article titled, “Maine Food Producers Eye Markets in China.”

And finally, here are links to the Maine Public Broadcasting Network report and to the WCSH-TV report.

Every Donation Counts

As a privately funded campaign, we are depending on you to help us raise the funds we need to be successful. Please contribute online today or mail your check to Cutler 2010, P.O. Box 15277, Portland, ME 04112. The maximum contribution is $750, but every contribution helps.

Our website allows you to make contributions automatically every month. Some of Eliot’s most loyal supporters have chosen this as the best way for them to support the campaign, with contributions of just $10 or $20 a month. That’s a great way to help the campaign!

Thank you

Stay in Touch with the Campaign

You can follow Eliot’s campaign on our website, www.Cutler2010.com and on our Facebook, Twitter and YouTube pages.

If you want to get in touch with the campaign, please give us a call at 207-699-4401 (toll free, 877-213-5112) or email us at campaign@cutler2010.com

I have been campaigning at full speed for the last 11 months, but the general election campaign officially got under way last night around 11:30 when the winners of the Republican and Democratic parties claimed their victories.

We shifted into overdrive at 6:00 a.m. this morning with the first of many interviews, and our phones at the office are ringing off the hook!

Last night, I spoke with both Paul LePage and Libby Mitchell and congratulated them on receiving their parties’ nominations. Melanie, Ted O’Meara and I drove over to my friend Peter Mills’ gathering and spent a few minutes with him and his disappointed supporters. The Republican Party has twice denied a strong and good man their nomination. Finally, I also reached out to all of the other candidates to wish them well moving forward. You can see my statement on the primary results below.

I am more excited than ever about this race. New supporters literally are walking in off the street with contributions, offers of help and a fresh energy that that is sure to help carry my candidacy to the Blaine House. One supporter is even arranging a sabbatical from his job for the fall so that he can help us fulltime. I have told everyone that we have a big tent and to come on in! Please let all of your friends who supported other candidates in the primaries know that they are welcome here.

Thank you to all of my supporters; this will be a great five months!

P.S. The next few days are critical for our campaign. Overnight, Paul LePage and Libby Mitchell received the full organizational and financial support of their parties, and the Republican Governors’ Association already has started its attacks on me.

Please help us beat politics as usual by donating online today!

Eliot’s Statement on the Primary Election Results

I want to congratulate Libby Mitchell and Paul LePage for winning the Democratic and Republican nominations. I hope that they will join me in running an honest, spirited and substantive general election campaign.

Tonight, the two major parties reverted to their old, ideological habits in a year when the vast majority of Maine voters could care less about party labels. They simply want strong, competent leadership.

What is just as striking about today’s primaries is not who won, but how many people didn’t even vote. Thousands of those enrolled in the two major parties stayed home. In essence, their response to their parties’ candidates was “none of the above.”

I believe that Maine people are looking for a governor with a real plan to get Maine working again, not political slogans. They want a governor who is truly independent and will not be pulled away from common sense solutions by the extremes of either party. They want a governor with broad experience in both government and the private sector, not just someone who is seeking to perpetuate a long political career.

For the past 11 months, as I have traveled to every corner of Maine, I have been told time and time again that party labels don’t matter anymore. People just want honest, competent, bold leadership — someone who is willing to be a careful steward of our tax dollars, who is willing to make the tough decisions, and who will bring Maine people together.

They want to see a big tent, where the test for admission is not narrow ideology or a partisan political attachment, but rather a love for Maine and a belief that Maine can work again, for all of us.

That is what I offer the people of Maine, and that is why I believe that Maine voters will turn to an Independent again this year, as they have with two of our last five governors, and elect me this fall as Maine’s next Governor.

Great Media Coverage Leading Up To Primary Election Results

In the days leading up to the primary, Eliot continued to receive great media coverage. Here’s a sample.

The Independent (which covers Windham, Gray, and Raymond) featured an article by Joshua Shea titled, “Voting in Moderation on Tuesday.”

Here is an excerpt that discusses the strength of Eliot’s candidacy:

“Cutler has everything going for him — voter anger, a rough economy, partisanship at an all-time high — that helped deliver Angus King to the Blaine House. Once the primaries are done, I see Cutler rising like a force…”

Foster’s Daily Democrat also had kind words for Eliot in an article titled, “Independent Candidate Cutler Could be One to Watch.”

Here are a few excerpts:

“…Cutler boasts perhaps the most impressive resume of any candidate, Independent or not.”

“‘It’s incredible,’ said University of New England political scientist Brian Duff. ‘He’s a charismatic, well-respected Independent who portrays himself being above partisan politics….He could have a big influence.’”

Here’s some great national coverage, too:

State House Rocks, in an article titled, “ME: Eliot Cutler, Waiting in the Wings,” wrote:

“Independent Eliot Cutler will be a viable third option in November. He’s got the right combination for this anti-insider political climate. His resume is loaded with government experience but his candidacy isn’t burdened by a partisan voting record other officeholders might be forced to defend.”

Eliot also received coverage from Frederickberg.com in an article titled, “GOP’s Statehouse Position Strong”:

“The race is competitive, plus Independent candidate Eliot Cutler has a shot at victory in November because both LePage and Mitchell lean to the far end of their respective party’s political spectrum.”

The Twittersphere Lights Up In Post-Primary Support

If you have a Twitter account, you may have seen the increased conversation about Eliot. From other gubernatorial candidates to impressed supporters, everyone has good things to say. Here’s a comment from national political analyst Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics:

@LarrySabato: Watch Independent Eliot Cutler, former aide to Ed Muskie. ME GOV will be a real 3-way race, unpredictable. ME likes independents.

You can see all the chatter here.

First Cutler 2010 Ad in Print

This morning we ran a half-page ad in every daily newspaper in the state. We think it sets a great tone for the general election.

Every Donation Counts

As a privately funded campaign, we are depending on you to help us raise the funds we need to be successful. Please contribute online today or mail your check to Cutler 2010, P.O. Box 15277, Portland, ME 04112. The maximum contribution is $750, but every contribution helps.

Our website allows you to make contributions automatically every month. Some of Eliot’s most loyal supporters have chosen this as the best way for them to support the campaign, with contributions of just $10 or $20 a month. That’s a great way to help the campaign!

Thank you.

Stay in Touch with the Campaign

You can follow Eliot’s campaign on our website, www.Cutler2010.com and on our Facebook, Twitter and YouTube pages.

If you want to get in touch with the campaign, please give us a call at 207-699-4401 (toll free, 877-213-5112) or email us at campaign@cutler2010.com.