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In 2008 Al Diamon, a columnist with whom I share a scholarly interest in single malt scotch whisky, called to ask who was interested in running for Maine’s second congressional district. I couldn’t tell him, but promised to ask around. Turned out that there was no one. Prospective candidates knew that 2008 was going to be a bad year for Republicans. The incumbent, Mike Micheau, hadn’t offended many people. Historically voters in Maine’s second district rarely reject incumbents.
So I asked half a dozen GOP leaders if they thought I should run. All encouraged me. They all seemed relieved to have a candidate who could speak in complete sentences, and had no criminal record. They wanted a name on the ballot. They were not hoping for a winner.