When Democratic U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud talks about why he deserves to be Maine's next governor, he quickly singles out his efforts in Congress to reform and improve health care services for veterans. He also touts his efforts to create the Northern Border Regional Commission that provides grants for rural economic development. But above all other qualities, Michaud says it's his ability to seek out cooperative solutions to divisive issues that will appeal to voters this November.
When Mike Michaud looks at Maine's national profile under Republican Gov. Paul LePage, he sees a failed record, embarrassing gaffes and a less-than-inspired strategy of appealing to people's fears with polarizing politics. The only way forward, he says, is to chart a new collaborative course for Maine's ship of state. And he's convinced he's the captain who must be at the helm.
"I'm the only candidate in this race that has a proven track record of being able to work across the aisle to get things done," Michaud says.
And an in era of increasingly hyperpartisan politics, Michaud says it's imperative that Maine's next governor show respect to all political factions when it comes to tough decisions on taxes, programs cuts and appointments. He says he has demonstrated those qualities as Maine's 2nd District U.S. representative and as one of the two presidents of the Maine Senate during the 120th Legislature.
"The fact that we were able to pass minimum wage increase not once but twice in a two-tiered system in the Maine Legislature when I was president of the Senate unanimously shows my ability to be able to bring people together to get the job done and that's what I'll do as governor," Michaud says. "The independent candidate talks about being independent but you know the fact that I have a proven track record — that's a big plus."
The "independent" that Michaud refers to is opponent Eliot Cutler. Both men are going after the same voter bloc, but unlike Michaud, Cutler has no record in elected office.
But does Michaud's record reflect a collaborative leadership style? One former independent state senator without whom, Michaud very well could have missed an opportunity to become Senate president, is Jill Goldthwait. Goldthwait cast the deciding vote for Michaud in 2000, when the Maine Senate was evendly divided along partisan lines. Goldthwait recalls Michaud as a fiscal conservative, who was open to contributions from those in opposing parties.
"Nobody would ever mistake Mike for a Republican," Goldthwait says.
These days Goldthwait writes a political column for the Ellsworth American and still wears her independent politics on her sleeve. She is not actively supporting any candidate, but is watching the Blaine House race carefully. She says Michaud's politics are driven by pragmatism, rather than bipartisanship, and it was an approach he honed during more than 20 years in the Legislature.
"He has always been able to find constructive alliances as he did in Congress, that helped him to accomplish some things — even though in Congress he served in the minority," Goldthwait says.
Goldthwait says Michaud is in some ways a throwback to an earlier political time and every inch a Democrat to his core.
"I'd almost call him an old-school negotiator where he would work hard to get his caucus to a point that was realistic," Goldthwait says. "He would work with the governor who at that time was Gov. King and when he struck a deal with somebody, he was pretty much true to his word. If he made an agreement with the governor, even if his caucus was upset, he would say 'look, I was your negotiator, this is what we're doing.'"
And while it may not resonate with voters as well as working across the aisle, Michaud's reputation for not moving the goalposts down the field during legislative negotiations may inspire the greatest degree of trust among those of differing political stripes.