Who Will Save this Sinking Ship?

It has been nearly a month since Dan Demerritt’s resignation as the Communication Director for Governor LePage. It appears as if Adrienne Bennett has stepped in to fill the void while a formal replacement is found. She better get comfortable, because who would want the job?

Everything about this campaign/administration has been a communications disaster from day one. A botched campaign kickoff announcement, a fumbled interview with Howie Carr, the “I’m about to punch A. Jay Higgins” comment, the “go to hell” comment directed at the President, the ridiculous voicemail left on the cell phone of the Beardsley supporter who challenged LePage’s flip-flop on the marriage issue, and the “tell them to kiss my butt” comment directed at the NAACP. It never seems to end with this guy.

Now he is facing the mounting resignations of key members of his team. Besides the Demerritt resignation, he recently suffered the loss of his Economic Development Commissioner in the wake of inappropriate comments made by Congdon at a dinner in Aroostook County. I have to say I am not surprised that he made the comments, taking the lead from the Governor, it is safe to say the comments are right in the ballpark of what we have come to expect from the Blaine House. Congdon shouldn’t have even been in that position in the first place. With alternatives like Dean Scontras and Matt Jacobson, both successful businessmen, it is tough to understand why Governor LePage would have nominated Phil Congdon. Then given the opportunity to apologize for the comments, the Governor refuses to do more than say, “Let’s move on”. This only adds more fuel to the fire. I have a better idea Governor LePage; you apologize for the comments and then ask to move on.

Governor LePage was handed a small amount of political capital with his margin of victory in November. Now, thanks to the mismanagement of the Governor’s message and the resignations, it has all been spent. With no formal communications director replacement in the wings and a recent poll showing bad numbers for the Governor, it is likely we will see little in the way of improvement over the next 3 years. The only question left to be answered, how many legislators are going to take the fall in the mid-term elections because of the Governor’s lack of leadership? If I were a Democrat I would paint every Republican legislator with their leader and put all my chips on being sworn in to the 126th.