The Rockland Democrat lawmaker whose “affordable housing” reputation quickly went south earlier this year is notably absent from Knox county candidates seeking a promotion to the state senate.
Political bettors were pretty certain Rep. Valli Geiger (D-Rockland) would run for the District 12 seat being mysteriously, voluntarily vacated by Anne Beebe-Center.
But then again no one expected her fellow Democrat, Beebe-Center, to drop out of a potential bid for a third term – until she did.
Who gives up a gravy term in the upper chamber?
Maybe someone who’d have to explain to American patriots why she had a problem with allowing July 4th fireworks during her incumbency.
So that fuse is a dud – thankfully.
Maybe similar to why gas-stoves opponent Geiger may have lighted a cherry bomb to her dreams of becoming the next Beebe-Center.
Besides wanting to take away your gas stove, Geiger earlier this year was caught by The Maine Wire showing two faces to her “affordable housing” reputation.
Geiger as it turned out was all for houses – she owns not just one but two – as long as they weren’t for ex-inmates needing a room in a boarding home.
Just a room in a non-profit recovery house, mind you, not even a home. Just a damn room with a bed and a shared bathroom.
So two limousine liberals Beebe-Center and Geiger – are apparently out.
That leaves two announced hopefuls, Democrat Rep. Ann Matlack of St. George and “independent” Nicole Kalloch.
Kalloch, a Rockland city councilor in former mayor, was a Republican but decided to shed that risky label in the left-leaning Midcoast and register instead as an “independent.”
Running as a Republican these days in gentrified Rockland, the district’s population center, is almost a sure trip to the ash heap of failed small-time politicians.
Solution: run as an “independent” to be like liberal U.S. Sen. Angus King, who long ago decided the only way to run – and win – against popular, better-known Democrats was to pretend he was an “independent” when of course really he’s a Democrat.
To beat Matlack – or Geiger – Kalloch would be taking on a primary fight with one or two avowed, well-entrenched leftists.
Matlack, who’s made false allegations about U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, is serving her fourth house term and by law can’t run again.
Kalloch, serving her second three-year council term, quit the Republican Party in July.
She’s planning to finance her campaign the old-fashioned way – through private contributions – while Matlack has applied to finance hers through the taxpayer-financed Maine Clean Election Act.
But Geiger may still come out – party candidates have until March to file nomination petitions with the secretary of state to get on the June primary ballot.
“Independents” have until June to get on the November general-election ballot.
Even though Geiger would still have plenty of calendrical time to step forward, party leaders don’t appreciate laggards.
