Governor's race

Waterville's Republican mayor, Paul LePage, is Maine's Governor-elect.  He claimed 38.3% of the vote on Election Day, compared with 36.5% for independent Eliot Cutler and 19.1% for Democrat Libby Mitchell, according to unofficial results.

LePage will be Maine's first Republican governor in nearly twenty years (since John R. McKernan, Jr.).  Also, Gov-elect LePage will assume office as a Republican chief executive with the support of a Republican-controlled Legislature, a first since the mid-1960s.

Governor-elect LePage also will be the state's first Franco governor in more than 100 years, since Democrat Alonzo Garcelon of Lewiston, who was governor in 1879.

Governor-elect LePage recently announced the co-chairs of his transition team:  Tarren Bragdon, former legislator and current head of the Maine Heritage Policy Center; Ann Robinson, Esq., a partner with the law firm Preti Flaherty and former counsel to the Maine Republican Party; and John Butera, executive director of the Central Maine Growth Council.  Additionally, the Governor-elect has announced that John McGough, former Waterville deputy city manager and a current South Portland city administrator, will be his chief of staff.

Legislature

According to still unofficial results, the Republican Party will now hold 20 seats in the Senate, Democrats will have 14, and there is one unenrolled senator (Dick Woodbury of Yarmouth).  In the House, Republicans will hold 78 seats and Democrats will hold 72.  There is one unenrolled representative (Ben Chipman of Portland), and two recounts are underway.

The shift of power in Maine's Senate and House of Representatives means, as well, that Republicans will control important leadership positions, such as Speaker of the House, Senate President, and committee chairs, and that there likely will be new constitutional officers (Attorney General, Secretary of State, and State Treasurer).

Newly-elected senators have held leadership elections. For majority Republicans, Kevin Raye of Perry will be the new Senate President.  Jonathan Courtney of Springvale will be the new Majority Leader, while Debra Plowman of Hampden will be the assistant majority leader.  For Democrats, Barry Hobbins of Saco will be the minority leader and Justin Alfond of Portland will be assistant minority leader.

In the House, Republicans have nominated Robert Nutting of Oakland to be the next Speaker.  Phil Curtis of Madison and Andre Cushing of Hampden will serve as the Majority Leader and Assistant Majority Leader, respectively.  Democrats have chosen Emily Cain of Orono and Theresa Hayes of Buckfield as floor leaders.

The First Regular Session of the 125th Maine Legislature will convene on Wednesday, December 1, 2010, at 10:00 a.m.

Here are links to the unofficial legislative election results:

http://www.maine.gov/legis/house/125cand/apparwin.htm   

http://www.maine.gov/legis/senate/senators/candidates/ApparentWinnerList2010.pdf

 Other races

Congress (First District):  Incumbent Democrat Chellie Pingree defeated Republican challenger Dean Scontras with 57% to 43% of vote.

Congress (Second District):  Incumbent Democrat Mike Michaud defeated Republican challenger Jason Levesque by a margin of 55% to 45%.

Other results

Question 1:  By a narrow margin of 50.7% in favor and 49.3% opposed, Maine voters on Tuesday approved a resort casino for Oxford County, a decision that may be challenged in court.

Question 2:  Bond to increase access to dental care passed 51% to 49%.

Question 3:  Land conservation bond passed 59% to 41%.

Although numbers won't be final for a couple of weeks, state officials are expecting the current $26 million state budget revenue surplus to at least double in size as corporate tax revenues continue to outpace projections.  Corporate payments are coming in better than projected, and corporate tax refunds are below estimates.  The two largest sources of state revenues, the personal income tax and the sales tax, are showing slow growth, however.

Gov.-elect LePage recently named a slate of advisors to help put together a budget for the next biennium.  The bipartisan group includes former Rep. Sawin Millett; former DAFS Commissioner Ryan Low; former Sen. Peter Mills; Bragdon, and other former legislators.

The next budget shortfall is projected to be $1.2 billion.  That number could be reduced next week when the state's Revenue Forecasting Committee meets to estimate revenue totals for the two-year period.  Also, the $1.2 billion projection includes an assumption that the state will fund 55 percent of the cost of schools statewide, which is unlikely.

If the state funded all agencies at current levels, there would be a $514 million deficit, largely due to lagging state revenues and increased health care costs.

The Governor's proposed budget is due to the Legislature by Feb. 11, 2011.