Ethan Strimling

When it comes to leadership political action committees, two state senators have far more in their coffers than their colleagues.

Bill Diamond (D-Windham) had $31,722 in Diamond PAC, and Libby Mitchell (D-Vassalboro) had $19,657 in the Mitchell Leadership Fund, both as of the last filing period July 22.

Diamond said he will put the PAC money toward his re-election bid and community action programs such as Neighbors Helping Neighbors.

State Sen. Ethan Strimling: Campaign PhotoFollowing his loss in the Democratic Congressional primary, outgoing state Sen. Ethan Strimling (D-Portland) is focusing on an organization he helped form in 2004.

A Rising Tide trains young Mainers in grassroots campaigning and organizing. It will train its 13th class of 30 people this weekend.

Strimling’s former campaign manager, Corey Hascall, is the executive director.

The training is free, but then graduates must spend 40 hours volunteering for an effort of their choice.

Trainers are: Dennis Bailey, President of Savvy Inc. and Democratic political strategist; Chris Potholm, Bowdoin College Professor and pollster and Roy Lenardson, a Republican political consultant and strategist.

The Blaine House: Speculation is far and wide as to who will live here after 2010. Politicker photo.The list of those speculated to run for governor in 2010 is wide and far-reaching. During a special session Wednesday, PolitickerME had a chance to catch up with a number of state senators on the list.

When asked, most of them remained mum on their ambitions.

Gov. John Baldacci will be termed out, so the 2010 race will be for an open seat.

The closest thing to an admission from any state senator came from Sen. Peter Mills (R-Skowhegan).

“I probably will,” he said.

Adam Cote used to be a Republican. He served in Iraq, and is an attorney specializing in energy and real estate development issues. He inspired Republican State Senator Karl Turner and Former GOP leader, Tony Payne to temporarily switch parties. He even made a glowing impression on the conservative talk show host Ray Richardson. The topic of Adam's Republican fan club came up during Cote's campaign for the Democratic nomination for Maine's 1st Congressional District. Although he lost the nomination to Chellie Pingree, Cote, with no political experience under his belt, toppled liberal darlings Ethan Strimling, Mark Lawrence and Mike Brennan, with second place finish.

OK - help me out here. Who is the biggest loser in the primary campaign?

It's a tough call.

I think you have to consider Mark Impeach Lawrence who finished 5th, and a distant 5th with less than 5% of the vote in the First Congressional District. Here you have a great candidate, District Attorney and former Senate President who ran a campaign that focused on the impeachment of George Bush. If you start being referred to as a far left candidate -- when you have Ethan Strimling and Mike Brennan in the race, you know something has gone seriously awry.

The Maine Policy Board of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) has endorsed Democrat Ethan Strimling for the 1st Congressional District seat in Congress.

The union, with 3,000 members in Maine, believes Strimling is the best candidate to stand for Maine's working families in Washington. Strimling "understands the concerns and the needs of Maine workers and their families," Will Towers, chairman of AFSCME, said in a statement.

Towers added, "He has made them front and center of his campaign and he'll do the same thing in Congress."

Strimling said he is proud to have the support of AFSCME. "I look forward to working with them when I'm in Congress to get this state and this nation's economy back on track for all Maine workers," he said in a statement.

Talk about horrible timing … PolitickerME has been out with a nasty flu for the past few days.

Here’s a quick rundown on what’s been going on in the days leading up the primary.

Monday, June 2:

It's a good thing Adam Cote spent some time in the military, because the enemy fire is really picking up.

Throughout most of the campaign, Adam has been dodging sniper fire quite well. He has endured the sporadic burst of fire from Strimling on Cote's republican donors as well as the occasional grenade tossed in by Lawrence or Pingree on his on-again, off-again relationship with the Republican Party.

Plenty of danger, but Cote managed to escape uninjured.....so far.

In fact, a Cote victory and wins for Collins and Michaud in November would put the entire Maine delegation in the political middle.

Photos from the evening speeches and rallies at the Maine Democratic Convention:

Mouse over for details.