BELFAST, Maine – Blaine Richardson, candidate for Congress in Maine’s Second Congressional District, announced Monday morning that he is leaving the Republican Party to run as an independent.
“Today I am excited to announce that I am filing my paperwork to run as an independent candidate for Congress in Maine’s second congressional district,” said Richardson, a veteran of the U.S. Navy who finished second in the 2012 Republican Primary for the same seat he is currently seeking. “I believe by running as a independent candidate I can more directly take my campaign’s message to the voters in the district.”
“As an Independent, I’ll have access to every voter,” he said.
According to the campaign, Richardson is campaigning on a platform of restoring a constitutionally limited federal government, protecting taxpayers, advocating for a non-interventionist foreign policy and protecting all civil rights and liberties as guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution.
Richardson’s departure from the race has big implications for the remaining GOP candidates, former state Senate President Kevin Raye of Perry and former State Treasurer Bruce Poliquin of Oakland. In 2012, Richardson bagged 34 percent of the vote. Those votes are now squarely in play for Poliquin, along with the 14 percent of voters who chose to pull the lever for neither Raye nor Richardson.
If anyone has listened to Mr. Richardson speak, they may recognize a possible cure for insomnia!
I doubt Emily Cain is disappointed by this development.