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For MPBN's Your Vote 2014 live election results, click here.MPBN’s elections compendium is brought to you by AARP, MEMIC and Lambert Coffin.Debates:Click here to watch the 1st Congressional District debateClick here to watch the 2nd Congressional District debateClick here to watch the Senate debateClick here to watch the gubernatorial debateResources:Gubernatorial Race: GridPaul LePage (R)Mike Michaud (D): Profile, Maine Calling interviewEliot Cutler (I): Maine Calling interviewSenate Race: GridSusan Collins (R): Profile, Maine Calling interviewShenna Bellows (D): Profile, Maine Calling interview1st District Congressional Race: GridChellie Pingree (D): Profile, Maine Calling interviewIsaac Misiuk (R): Profile, Maine Calling interviewRichard Murphy (I): Profile, Maine Calling interview2nd District Congressional Race: GridEmily Cain (D): Profile, Maine Calling interviewBruce Poliquin (R): Profile, Maine Calling interviewBlaine Richardson (I): Profile, Maine Calling interviewFor a list of referendum questions, click here.

Maine GOP Convention Opens on Theme of Unity

Rebounding from a divisive state convention two years ago, Republicans say there's a new spirit of unity in the air for this year's event, which opened today in Bangor. In this off-year election, Republicans are pinning their hopes on returning GOP majorities to the Maine House and Senate, sending Republicans to Washington from the state's two congressional districts and reelecting Gov. Paul LePage. LePage figures prominently in the platform passed by delegates who strongly support the governor's positions on welfare reform and lower taxes.

Those casually familiar with Maine politics may recall that two years ago, a faction within the Republican party commandeered the convention. Two years before that, the GOP convention platform called for dismantling the federal Department of Education and affirming global warming as a myth.

This year's party platform includes a plank defining marriage as a union between one man and one woman, even though 53 percent of Maine voters approved same-sex marriage two years ago. Still, state party chair Rick Bennett says he believes Republican issues are really the issues of all Mainers.

"Republicans are talking about kitchen table kind of issues that people are concerned about: sending their kids to college, pulling the money together, job security and as long as Republicans are speaking to those common sense kitchen table kind of issues, we're going to be successful," Bennett said.

Bennett took over as chair two years ago after the party was left in shambles when supporters of the Ron Paul for President campaign took over the convention and elected a majority slate to the national convention in support of the former Texas congressman.

The insurrection of the younger Paul supporters left GOP party insiders feeling as though they had lost control, after the vote wound up stripping Republican nominee Mitt Romney of delegates. Those same Paul supporters wound up walking out of the national GOP convention after party leaders rejected them. Some are still disillusioned, but Bennett says the party has healed since then.

"Well I think things are actually going swimmingly, people are getting along really well, we're united in common purpose," Bennett said. "The theme for this convention is united for jobs, united for freedom and united for Maine. And I really believe our party is united. The main thing is that we respect each other and that we ultimately respect the voter and that we present to the Maine voter an alternative government that will address their real issues."

The alternative government that Assistant House Republican Leader Alexander Willette would like to see is a Maine House and Senate with the kind of Republican majorities the party touted in 2011. The short-lived GOP control of the Legislature and the governor's office gave the party the clout to pass major tax cuts and state retirement reforms.

Willette says his message to the state delegates is that this year's slate of legislative candidates is one of the strongest ever.

"All 151 House candidates and 35 Senate candidates - they're a top-notch slate of candidates and we're excited about it," Willette said. "I mean we've got some excellent folks running."

As delegates queued up in front of the Cross Center in Bangor to be admitted to the convention floor Friday morning, they said they looked forward to Sen. Susan Collins' appearance and Saturday's address from Gov. Paul LePage. Delegates are also anxious to hear from the party's keynote speakers, Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky and by North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory.

But when it comes to political drama, the 2nd Congressional District primary between former Senate President Kevin Raye and state Treasurer Bruce Poliquin has a lot of people buzzing. Both candidates have been sniping at each other over alleged missteps.

Yarmouth Republican Committee Chair Rick Snow is in the 1st District - but he was still sporting stickers for both Raye and Poliquin.

"I'm wearing both, because I like both of them, but hey, it's politics and in the end they'll both shake hands and support whoever wins and that's the great thing about the Republican party," Snow said.

Party leaders expect about 1,500 delegates to converge in Bangor today and Saturday.