For Bruce Poliquin, the third time was a charm. After earlier, unsuccessful campaigns for governor and U.S. Senate, the Republican has won the race to succeed Mike Michaud in Maine's 2nd Congressional District. Democrat Emily Cain called Poliquin this morning to concede what became a nasty, hard-fought and expensive race.
The national parties poured millions of dollars into the race. So did outside groups supporting both candidates. Most of the money was used to produce negative TV ads and mailers. Despite electing a Democrat to Congress six times in a row, voters in the 2nd District appear to have become more conservative.
And this year - a year that turned into a wave election for Republicans - Poliquin's focus on job creation, cutting wasteful spending, lowering energy costs, eliminating burdensome regulations and reducing taxes resonated with them.
"It think it's all about jobs," Poliquin says. "It doesn't matter if you're a Republican or Democrat or independent - if your spouse or your neighbor or your son or your daughter or your parents lose a job, unemployment does not discriminate. The people of Maine, the people of our district are looking at the past 40 years, how we made it more difficult in Maine to keep our mills open. And they said, 'We can not keep going down the path we're going down. We need to fix this mess.' "
Poliquin's laser-like focus on this message was complimented by an advertising strategy that moved to aggressively define Emily Cain as a liberal with extreme views - a candidate out of touch with the rural district on key issues like jobs, spending, taxes and energy.
Wednesday, though, Poliquin had kind words for his opponent, as he opened his post-election news conference. "These campaigns are very difficult. They're tough on you personally. They take a toll out on your family. And also your business," he said. "She ran a spirited campaign. I'd like to salute her for doing that."
Cain was not doing media interviews Wednesday. But she did issue a statement, shortly after conceding the race. In it she said: "One thing that my opponents and I have in common is that we all know Maine is a very special place and we want our people to succeed. To do that we have to come together, find consensus and stay at the table until problems are solved. It’s what I’ve done for 10 years in Augusta and it’s what I will continue to work for in different ways."
Politically, Maine now has perhaps its most diverse congressional delegation ever. A strong, right-leaning conservative, Poliquin will serve alongside 1st District Congresswoman Chellie Pingree, a liberal Democrat and U.S. Senators Susan Collins, a moderate Republican, and Angus King, a left-leaning Independent.
Poliquin says he'll work with anyone. But he says he determined not to be shaped by the political culture in Congress that's made it increasingly difficult for representatives to do the people's business.
"We've got too many people down there that are looking at, first, politics. How do I get re-elected? How do I stay in power?" he says. "And when that happens, they don't want to adjust or they don't want to address, rather, the very tough decisions we have. So the problems get worse. Problems get worse, our families suffer. So I'm going down there NOT to become part of the soup. I'm going down there to help fix the mess that's hurting our families."
When he takes office in January, Bruce Poliquin will become the first Republican to represent Maine's 2nd District since January of 1995, when Olympia Snowe left the seat after winning election to the U.S. Senate.