One could sense the 2014 election was heating up by the atmosphere at the Lincoln County Republican Committee (LCRC) meeting held June 3 in Edgecomb. At the state level, Republicans have candidates in all House and Senate Districts. Committee members heard from two of the candidates running from Lincoln County, Les Fossel of Alna, running for State Senate 13, and Anna Morkeski of Damariscotta, vying for State House District 90, who shared with the committee what they have been doing and their plans.

“The results of this coming election will dictate which path Maine will take,” said Stuart Smith, LCRC chairman. “We were fortunate this past legislative session that Gov. Paul LePage was able to use his veto power to limit the Democrats return to their 'tax and spend' philosophy.” Unchecked, he said, the Democrats will pursue their progressive agenda at a cost that Mainers can't afford.

“With a Republican legislature and a Republican governor, our focus will be on more jobs, a lower overall tax rate and a manageable welfare system. All of which will help the average Mainer through these difficult times. And we proved we could move Maine ahead in a positive way during the Republican-controlled 125th legislature,” he said.

He cited just a few of the accomplishments: passing the largest tax cut in Maine history, eliminating $1.7 billion of the existing shortfall in the Maine Pension System while protecting retirees' future benefits, developing an education plan that puts the student first.

Rebecca Telega, a field staffer for the Maine Republican Party, spoke about the role she is playing in support of LePage and candidates for the Maine House and Senate. She is responsible for Lincoln County and one of her key projects has been working to build up a volunteer base. She is also working on a local GOP office and will provide information about the new GOP voter database software.

In other committee business, Lisa Hunt announced a recognition event for current and past women involved in Republican politics to be held July 17 at the Damariscotta Lake Farm in Jefferson. More details will follow. The event is being held in conjunction with the State GOP initiative She-Leads, which is aimed at identifying, training and supporting female candidates from around the state.

Republicans, and Maine in particular, have a history of female participation in politics, starting with Margaret Chase Smith of Maine who was the first woman to be elected to both houses of the U.S. Congress, and the first to serve in either House from Maine. Today, Sen. Susan Collins is a well respected member of Congress who consistently has a high approval rating in Maine. At the local level, of the six candidates running for state office from Lincoln County, four are women.

Smith reminded the committee that tickets for the June 28th performance of “Chamberlain: A Civil War Romance” at the Maine State Musical Theater in Brunswick are still available from either him (stuart@stuartsmith.us) or Peter Lawrence (jalpgl@tidewater.net). The LCRC receives a percentage of the ticket price for those tickets it sells but only for that one night.

The next meeting of the LCRC will be held July 1. For more information about the LCRC, check www.lincolncountyrepublicans.org, or send an email to Info@lincolncountyrepublicans.org.