A Moonbeam-Style Comeback

There’s nothing like a candidate who can beat the odds.  I’m not talking about an underdog who defies the odds like Senator Scott Brown of Massachusetts (R) or Mark Begich of Alaska (D).  I’m not talking about someone like Texas Governor (and professional pretty-boy) Rick Perry, who on Tuesday, pushed back against a primary challenge from popular sitting senator Kay Bailey Hutchison.

Earlier this week, California Attorney General Edmund “Jerry” Brown announced his candidacy for Governor of California.  ”Moonbeam” has had a long career in Golden State Politics–the 71-year-old succeeded the mediocre Ronald Reagan (give me a break, conservatives–it was Rocky Balboa who defeated communism when Ivan Drago hit the floor) as the Governor of California in 1975.  In 1992, Brown’s populist crusade for the Democratic Nomination for President gave Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton a pretty big headache.

I’m probably the only guy in the state who thoroughly enjoyed “Rocky Balboa,” the sixth film in Sylvester Stallone’s hexalogy of boxing films.  In the final installment, the underdog-turned-champion comes out of retirement for one last fight, and goes the distance against the slick newcomer, Mason “The Line” Dixon.

Maine saw a failed comeback scenario in 2006 when former first district Congressman David Emery came out of retirement to seek the Republican Nomination for Governor.  Emery placed last in the three-way race, garnering just over a quarter of the total vote.

Senate President Libby Mitchell is, as one political staffer recently put it, going for the “triple crown,” seeking the Blaine House after having served as President of the Senate and Speaker of the House.  Mitchell is the only candidate in the race to have the distinction of losing a statewide bid; in 1984, Mitchell unsuccessfully challenged first-term Senator Bill Cohen.  In 1990, she lost a race for the Democratic nomination for Congress when Joe Brennan bolted for a Blaine House bid. Mitchell, despite her electoral difficulties, is certainly qualified to be Governor.  Championing mandatory sick pay this session has bolstered her credentials within the progressive community, and her impressive legislative record speaks for itself.  Being Maine’s first female Speaker of the House, let alone serving as both presiding officers is no small feat.

Perhaps it’s a good omen for the Mitchell Campaign that Maine Democrats chose the Lewiston Colissee as the cite of this year’s state convention.  The last time Maine Democrats held their convention in the twin cities was also in 1984.  Interestingly enough, Saco Senator Barry Hobbins was the party’s nominee to take on then-Congressman John McKernan that year; Hobbins’ name has been floated as a presiding officer successor should she win the Democratic Nomination and resign from leadership.

Whether or not Mitchell’s campaign will make it to Lewiston in May is another story. Word on the street is that the Mitchell campaign is in serious panic mode with the deadline for Clean Elections qualifying contributions just around the corner.

The Democrat best poised to win the Blaine House, arguably, is also making a Jerry Brown-style comeback (except, of course, that he’s nearly two decades younger than Brown).  Like Mitchell, Pat McGowan has been active in public life since he lost his bids for Congress in 1990 and 1992.  McGowan went on to serve as regional director of the Small Business Administration and as Maine’s Commissioner of Conservation.  Unlike Mitchell, however, McGowan wasn’t crushed by his popular opponent; the little-known legislator from Caanan came within a point of then six-term Congresswoman Olympia Snowe, and very well might have defeated her in 1992 had it not been for spoiler Green Party candidate Jonathan Carter.  McGowan is not only tested in the world of policy, he’s a master of retail politics.  He can win.

Jerry Brown won Maine during his 1992 bid for the Democratic Nomination.  While Moonbeam tries to pull off the best of political comebacks in California this fall, we may see a similar story in the Pine Tree State.  I love political comeback stories more than anything.  Maine needs its own Moonbeam.  If not, find me this time next year–we can launch the Draft Peter Kyros for Governor 2014 Campaign.