Chellie Pingree in Lincoln County for Campaign Swing

January 23, 2008 The Lincoln County News.

Democratic First District Congressional candidate Chellie Pingree brought her campaign to Lincoln County on Jan. 19. The day started with coffee at Wen's Diner in Boothbay Harbor, where Dick Snyder and Kitt Sherrill of Southport joined Pingree. From there it was on to the East Boothbay General Store where State Rep. Bruce MacDonald and his wife, Georgia Ireland, met up with Pingree to talk about the issues and say hello to some customers. Dominic and Liz Poochee, the new owners of the store, talked to Pingree about healthcare and employment issues.

"I've been a small business owner for years," Pingree said, "so I, too, know the challenges and joys of running a business. Liz and Dominic bought the store a year ago and have done a fabulous job improving it. But I know it hasn't been easy. We opened the inn and restaurant that I own on North Haven in 2006 and we've faced many of the same challenges - and many of the problems business owners face these days have to do with the outrageous cost of healthcare. We really have to make some big changes in the system."

Pingree also created and owned North Island Designs, a national mail order company based in North Haven that she ran for 12 years before selling it in 1993.

The next stop was Damariscotta for a visit with nearly 30 campaign volunteers at the Skidompha Library. Organized by Jenny Mayher from Bremen, the meeting was a chance for supporters to get an update on the rapidly growing campaign and let Pingree know what was on their minds.

"It's pretty clear that Chellie is tuned in with what is on the minds of people around herethe economy, the war, and healthcare," one of the attendees said, "and it's also pretty clear she knows what she's talking about."

Pingree had lunch in Newcastle with a dozen or so journalists and bloggers from the MidCoast region. The discussion was spirited and wide-ranging. "The food was good," said Chellie, "but what I really enjoyed was the conversation. The group was definitely focused on the many challenges facing our country and I think we all agreed that it's going to take bold actions in order to address them."

The day ended with "coffee and conversation" at the big table at Treats in Wiscasset. Again, while Iraq and healthcare continue to be on people's minds, the struggling economy is becoming a bigger and bigger issue. "We need to do something about the economy right away," Pingree told them, "but we also need to look down the road to the changes that are going to keep our economy healthy over the long term. I believe we need to invest in education, repair our infrastructure, and dramatically reform the healthcare system - But until we stop spending hundreds of billions a year on the war in Iraq we will not have the focus or money to solve the challenges we face at home."

Pingree has built a reputation for leadership by speaking the truth even when her political future was on the line. She is running to represent Maine's First Congressional District, a post that is now open as Congressman Allen is running against Senator Susan Collins. Pingree has dedicated much of her life to public service, holding posts on the school board and as the local tax assessor, before she was elected in 1992 to represent Knox County in the Maine State Senate. Pingree served in the Legislature for eight years, including four as Senate Majority Leader. After her strong bid for the U.S. Senate in 2002, Pingree was asked to serve as national president of Common Cause, a non-partisan grassroots organization with a 30-year history of promoting open, honest, and accountable government.

To learn more about Pingree's campaign go to www.pingreeforcongress.com, or call 773-0155, or email Pingree directly at chellie@pingreeforcongress.com.

Link to the article with photo.