Campaigns are lengthy and grueling, gaffes are inevitable and political trackers are paid to document them. This month, one prompted a confrontation with Paul LePage.
At a mid-August occasion in Madawaska, the previous Republican governor obtained in a videotaped dispute with a Democratic Social gathering “tracker,” or a staffer paid to movie opposition candidates, complaining that he violated his private house and telling the person he would “deck” him if he obtained any nearer.
The general public solely ever sees probably the most compelling moments captured by trackers. However they’re taking part in a special position than they did 15 years after the follow gained prominence in Maine. Whereas they’ve at all times tried to seize telling or embarrassing moments, their materials is figuring into extra subtle marketing campaign methods in a altering media panorama.
The second between LePage, who’s operating towards Gov. Janet Mills this yr, and the tracker grew to become fodder for Democrats searching for to border him as a bully and remind voters of the controversial moments from his two phrases as governor.
Maine Democratic Social gathering spokesperson Misha Linnehan mentioned monitoring had “uncovered various lies” made by LePage, together with statements associated to taxes, drug coverage and elections.
“Trackers have grow to be widespread marketing campaign infrastructure,” Linnehan mentioned.
Tracker jobs have been one thing of a stepping stone in Maine politics, with most of the low-level staffers happening to distinguished roles. For instance, Sen. Susan Collins was tracked at a Stockton Springs parade in 2007 by Rick Redmond, who went on to be a senior Maine Democratic Social gathering official and now holds a regional place at a pro-Israel lobbying group.
At the moment, a prime Collins staffer complained that trackers “demean the political course of.” However in the course of the 2010 gubernatorial marketing campaign, it was Republicans’ use of the follow that prompted complaints from LePage’s two prime rivals throughout his first profitable Blaine Home run.
That cemented monitoring in Maine politics, however the techniques have escalated from quiet statement to extra aggressive birddogging.
Republicans have despatched trackers to a number of of Gov. Janet Mills’ marketing campaign occasions this yr and final, spokesperson Mary-Erin Casale mentioned. Together with filming the governor, they’ve sometimes shouted questions. Mills’ coverage is to deal with them respectfully as a result of they’re simply doing a job, she mentioned.
“The governor acknowledges that trackers are an unlucky function of modern-day campaigns,” Casale mentioned. “She additionally understands that, in her position as governor, trackers typically include the territory.”
Maine Republican Social gathering spokesperson Riley Ploch mentioned the occasion advises anybody recording candidates to offer them house and observe “common guidelines of conduct and decency, whereas Linnehan mentioned the Democratic tracker, whom they’ve neither recognized nor made obtainable for interviews, offers candidates house and identifies himself if requested.
In an interview with former Republican gubernatorial candidate Shawn Moody on WGAN final week, LePage mentioned he was “startled” by the tracker and cited threats towards him whereas he was governor. He argued that the identical factor couldn’t occur to Mills, who has a state police safety element because the sitting governor.
“I’m operating as a former governor with out safety,” LePage mentioned. “I’m not going to apologize for attempting to remain alive.”
Charlie Webster, who was chair of the Maine Republican Social gathering when LePage first ran for governor in 2010, mentioned he was by no means concerned within the occasion paying for a tracker as chair. He sees it as a slimy follow that distracts from actual coverage points.
“This shouldn’t be a character contest,” Webster mentioned of Democrats’ use of trackers towards LePage. “They wish to have a headline based mostly on nothing to do with what he believes in.”
Former state Sen. Eric Brakey, R-Auburn, who’s operating for his previous seat in 2022 handled trackers as his occasion’s Republican U.S. Senate nominee in 2018, lately posted an image of a tracker who adopted him as he met with individuals on the Nice Falls Balloon Competition this month.
Brakey mentioned his expertise with the tracker was more odd and humorous than something, particularly as a result of he was in a parade and never giving a speech. Although he mentioned the tracker stored a respectful distance, he sees the intensive filming and the LePage incident as an indication the follow had grow to be extra “aggressive” in recent times.
“It’s a little bit more durable to have a frank and candid dialog with somebody about one thing they’re involved about when there’s a digital camera,” Brakey mentioned.
