County Republicans looking to get energized for Election Day

By Stuart Hedstrom 
Staff Writer

    DOVER-FOXCROFT — About two months before the election on Tuesday, Nov. 4, the Piscataquis County Republicans formally opened the party headquarters at 56 East Main Street in the Union Square Mall.
    “I just want to welcome you to the opening of the Piscataquis County Republican headquarters for this election” Piscataquis County Republican Committee Chairman Charles Shaffer said during the Sept. 2 event. He said the party will work “to not only keep this county red” but also retain party leadership in the Blaine House with Gov. LePage and in the U.S. Senate with Susan Collins and send Bruce Poliquin to the U.S. Congress.

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom

    READY FOR ELECTION DAY — House Republican Leader Ken Fredette, of Newport, was the guest VIP for the grand opening of the Piscataquis Republican headquarters at the Union Square Mall, 56 East Main Street in Dover-Foxcroft, on Sept. 2.

    “Maine in some ways is struggling, but it seems to be turning around,” Shaffer said. He said Gov. LePage has worked to make the state more business-friendly and if re-elected the governor will continue his work to improve the Maine economy.
    The mystery guest VIP was Maine House Republican Leader Ken Fredette of Newport, who is running for re-election in his district. “We are really down now to game time,” Fredette said. He said “it is a phenomenal task” with over 150 Republican candidates running for the House of Representatives.
    “The good news is the Democrats could not find opponents for eight of our candidates,” Fredette said. “I think it says a lot to the Republican effort put forward and it says a lot about the Democrats when they couldn’t bring anyone forward.” Fredette said one such race is in Piscataquis County with Paul Stearns, of Guilford, running for House District 119 with no one else certified to be listed on the ballot.
    Fredette said he feels the crop of candidates for the 2014 election “is a good sign that people really want to bring Maine forward.” He then introduced the candidates in attendance, including Stearns, Dover-Foxcroft resident Norm Higgins for House District 120, incumbent Deborah Sanderson of Chelsea who is running unopposed in District 88 and incumbent Larry Dunphy of North Anson for House District 118. Fredette said “energy is one of the most difficult issues they do and Larry is a Republican leader with energy.”
    “These are just a sampling we have here who will be going down to Augusta to fight the fight with the governor,” Fredette said.
    He mentioned Paul Davis of Sangerville is running for the State Senate District 4 seat. While not a candidate for a position in Augusta, in attendance for the Republican party headquarters opening was Piscataquis County Sheriff John Goggin who is seeking reelection.
    “We are working on a coordinated campaign,” Fredette said. He said party members are talking to maximize resources and “we are all working together this time, which I think is a big deal.”
    “You can vote very soon and what we need is to get our voters out to the polls,” Fredette said.