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Senate Rejects LePage UMS Board Nominee Dench

AUGUSTA, Maine - The Democratic-controlled Maine Senate has denied one of Republican Gov. Paul LePage's nominees to the University of Maine System Board of Trustees.

The Senate voted 17-15 against Susan Dench's nomination to the board Tuesday.

Democrats and women's groups have criticized Dench's comments on gender issues on a conservative blog she used to write for the Bangor Daily News.

But Republicans accused Democrats of playing politics with the nomination and warned that Dench's rejection would send a bad message that views outside of the mainstream aren't tolerated.

Dench said after the vote that she was disappointed and believed her experience in marketing would've e benefited the seven-school system.

The Education Committee's rejection of Dench last week was the first time it has ever denied a governor's nominee to that board.