To the citizens of District 5

To the citizens of District 5

To the editor:
What a day Friday the 12th of November was. That was the day I made public, my decision to switch political parties. Since then I have had many e-mails and phone calls. Almost all conversations have been very positive, with very few negative comments. For those voters who know me and my voting record, they all wonder why it took me so long to switch, and that this came as no surprise to them. For those who just voted for me because there was a D in front of my name and did not care to know my record, those are the folks disappointed with my decision, and there are no reasons or excuses that I could give to make them understand why I made the switch.

Why the switch? Well it is no secret that I am very moderate and I have right leaning beliefs when it comes to the size of our government and the rates at which we are taxed in our state. These are bullet points that I ran on in 2008 and 2010. I also believe that small business is the driving engine to our rebound from our 50th placing in Forbes’ list of states that are friendly to businesses in the U.S. Our state has a long way to go in turning this around as well as our place on the welfare rankings. We are first in the country with regard to our welfare system.
After this last election, the Democrat representatives returning to the Statehouse are very far left leaning in the Dem caucus in Augusta. These are great people, but politically we are on different planets. For me it was time to get with more like-minded individuals in Augusta, folks that share my same views for what works for our state and most importantly our district.
Another reason for the switch came during this past election. There is a saying that politics makes strange bedfellows, and this election truly proved that to be the case. During the 2010 election my opponent received campaign cash contributions from a candidate running in another district. Now this is not uncommon in political races, but in this instance, the candidate who made the cash contribution was a member of the County Democratic Party! After notifying the state party leaders of this, I came to the hard realization that I needed to make the change.
Some have asked what did you get for the switch? Well I didn’t make the switch to get anything, and really, we are state representatives, there isn’t a lot to gain personally from anything we do. I didn’t make the switch to help in a possible 2012 election. I don’t get a fancy chauffeured car to lug me around Augusta, and I don’t get a comfier chair to sit in or gobs of cash. I didn’t make the switch to increase the R’s majority numbers; they had the majority locked up before I switched. I made the choice for my district and partly for my own piece of mind. I have a specific job to do in Augusta, and I do it regardless of any party affiliations and I feel I do it well, I always have and I always will.
The timing of the switch has also been made an issue, but any time for a politician to announce a party switch is never a good time. I did give this a lot of thought and weighed all of the positives and the negatives before coming to my decision. This was not a knee jerk reaction and the reflex to do so had moved at a snail’s pace. However, I do not regret this decision, and I look forward to continue to work for the people of District 5 in Augusta, and more so continue with my constituent work here at home.
I have an interesting story to tell that occurred on the morning of this past election. While standing outside in the cold, greeting voters as they came to the polls to vote. I was re-introduced to a gentleman that had sought my help with an issue concerning his driver’s license. It was Spring of ‘09, half way through my first year of the 124th term. He called me and told me his problem, said he was getting the run-around with his specific problem and had been fighting with state agencies for about two months. He asked for help, and I did help. Within three days of receiving his request, and after many phone calls on my part, I had resolved his problem and he was as happy as any person could have been. I felt great that I could help him; it’s my favorite part of the job.
It is now November 2nd, 2010 and here comes this gentleman walking down Main Street to come in and vote. I remember the face but not the name. He came up and shook my hand. We talk for a bit and he thanks me again for the help I gave him, and it’s now clear in my mind who he is. That gratifying feeling I had that day in spring ‘09 when I resolved his problem had come back to me, and I was feeling great. As we ended our conversation, he looked at me and said, “Mike, I really do appreciate what you did for me, but I still can’t vote for you, you’re a Democrat and I am a Republican.” I smiled, and told him that he needed to do what he needed to do, and if he ever needed help again in the future to just give me a call. I will admit that the good feeling I had just a minute prior paled a bit, but it is just the way it is with some folks, and they are free to make those decisions and I respect that.
So in closing, my decision has been made and I stand by it. I will always do my best for all of you and will always make myself available to listen to your concerns. I am here to serve the citizens of Presque Isle, regardless of what party you choose.