Maine's Political Pulse

This week Maine Public's Chief Political Correspondent Steve Mistler is back to talk with Irwin Gratz.

It's Friday, and time again for Maine's Political Pulse.  

It’s Friday, and time again for Maine’s Political Pulse.

This was a quieter week, politically...as long as you kept the television off, since it remains saturated with political advertising. Steve Mistler spoke with Irwin Gratz and Mal Leary about some of that advertising, which turned nasty pretty quick.

Then the team took a look at how the next coronavirus aid bill developed by Republicans could affect politics in Maine and the latest challenge to Ranked-Choice Voting.

Morning Edition Host Irwin Gratz, Chief Political Correspondent Steve Mistler and Senior Political Correspondent Mal Leary are back again this week with Maine's Political Pulse.

Morning Edition's Irwin Gratz spoke with Maine Public's Chief Political Correspondent Steve Mistler and Senior Political Reporter Mal Leary ahead of Maine's state primary Tuesday.

This week, Maine Public’s Irwin Gratz speaks with Senior Political Correspondent Mal Leary and Statehouse Bureau Chief Steve Mistler about the Republican Primary in the 2nd Congressional District.

Historically, the district has leaned conservative, and it did vote for Donald Trump in 2016. But it was represented for years by a Democrat, Mike Michaud, and Democrat Jared Golden won the seat back from the GOP in 2018.

The race to challenge Golden has drawn three Republican contenders.

You would probably have to go back to the 1960s to find the last time politicians were pushed this hard by public opinion to act on the issue of racial injustice. But several protests have swept through the country, including several in Maine. Portland recently reported that 2500 people took part in one of them.

Maine's Political Pulse, with Maine Public’s Irwin Gratz and political correspondents Steve Mistler and Mal Leary, is back from hiatus.

Politics have been overshadowed since the coronavirus pandemic reached Maine. The legislature folded up shop early and Gov. Janet Mills exercised her powers to shut down much economic activity, forcing Mainers to stay separated. That appears to have had the desired effect, easing the increased pressure hospitals here were under.

But as the crisis atmosphere has waned, state politics is starting to sink its claws into the situation. Steve Mistler says that’s caused in part by the Federal approach to the pandemic.

The new Coronavirus isn't just infecting people. It has reached, indirectly, into many corners of American life. And, as of this week, cases were confirmed in Maine. Chief Political Correspondent Steve Mistler and Senior Political Correspondent Mal Leary discuss this and significant announcements that the governor made Thursday. 

Get caught up:

Chief Political Correspondent Steve Mistler and Senior Political Correspondent Mal Leary spoke with Host Irwin Gratz on this week’s episode of Maine’s Political Pulse.

And on the Pulse this week: breaking down Maine's role in a Super Tuesday that reshaped the Democratic presidential primary. Also — why a potential referendum over Central Maine Power's transmission project is taking a nasty turn.

Get caught up:

This coming week, voters head to the polls for Super Tuesday and Maine's first presidential primary in 20 years. And there will be something else to draw people to the polls: voters will be asked whether the state should scrap a new law that ends religious and philosophical exemptions for childhood vaccinations.

Maine Public’s Irwin Gratz, Steve Mistler and Mal Leary discuss that referendum and potential complications surrounding Ballot question language.

On this week’s episode of Maine's Political Pulse, Morning Edition host Irwin Gratz and political reporters Mal Leary and Steve Mistler discussed a new statewide poll that gives us an early look at the electoral landscape as we head into Super Tuesday and the Democratic presidential primary. As Leary points out, there's also some cautionary information for Republican Senator Susan Collins, who appears to be in a virtual tie with Sara Gideon, one of the Democrats seeking to challenge her in November.

It’s Valentine’s Day and, even better, time again for Maine’s Political Pulse.

It's Friday and time again for Maine’s Political Pulse with Mal Leary, Steve Mistler and Irwin Gratz.

On Saturday, Mal Leary spoke with U.S. Republican Sen. Susan Collins in the wake of her Friday vote, which sought to hear from witnesses at President Donald Trump's impeachment trial. He discussed this conversation with Steve Mistler and Irwin Gratz.