Maine GOP Failed Gubernatorial Hopeful Showed – Not Just Once But Twice – He Wasn’t Blaine House Material (PhD Or Not)

There’s an old adage that goes “if you know somebody is after you don’t hand over the gun.”

Unfortunately for him, that’s what state Sen. James Libby, R-Standish, did in the self-immolation of his candidacy, quitting the GOP primary gubernatorial race.

Libby, in what became the second failed attempt in 24 years to become governor of Maine, touted his educational chops to anyone who would listen – or not.

It didn’t matter – the veteran state lawmaker would take any opportunity he could to let people know how much smarter he is than everyone else – including during The Maine Wire debate lecturing an opponent on how to pronounce a certain word.

When Libby showed up for the recent debate, he made clear to the moderator he was to be introduced to the audience as “Dr. Libby.”

Now that we’ve got Libby’s preferred education addressing down pat, let’s talk about his second ill-fated statewide campaign – which not once but twice got caught allegedly circumventing state campaign law.

The campaign was memorable for what it was not – two allegations Libby was playing fast and loose with Maine’s campaign-funding rules.

The campaign was first hit earlier this year with claims by one of Libby’s opponents that he had offered volunteers money for signatures.

Libby’s campaign needed signatures to get taxpayer money to help fund his campaign as long as he raised matching funds, a requirement under the so-called Maine Clean Election Act.

The state commission that oversees election law determined no money had changed hands so it dropped its investigation.

Libby told the commission he was sorry it happened, whether his campaign staffer – whose resignation he didn’t demand – violated the law or not.

But he apparently wasn’t sorry because earlier this week a similar problem arose – yet again – when a Libby staffer allegedly claimed the camp had collected matching funds when in at least one case it hadn’t.

Same kind of problem as the first time.

Once apparently wasn’t enough of a warning for a gubernatorial candidate to run a campaign as he claims he would have operated state government.

The commission called the second offense “fraudulent” and Libby pulled out of the race, exclaiming the obvious – that his campaign was “no longer viable.”

When the Libby campaign first was accused of illegal shenanigans the Bangor Daily News said the case “raises concerns about the integrity of Maine’s public campaign financing system and the proper use of taxpayer funds.”

Actually, no, though that’s a cute way of trying to let Libby off the hook.

In actuality it “raised concerns” about Libby, since he’s the candidate and the guy claiming he was ready to run the state of Maine.

The Bangor paper also said the case “highlights the challenges candidates face in navigating the state’s complex election laws.”

Wrong again. Just another cynical way to paper over an incompetent candidate who wasn’t shooting straight.

Despite the legacy press saying the Libby campaign should maybe get a pass because the state’s election laws are “complex,” they actually are easy to understand, even for someone without a PhD.

As in, you can’t offer bribes or fraudulently collect matching funds.

Not hard to understand that language even without a bachelor’s degree, let alone a “doctorate.”

The top of a campaign is the candidate, whether he knew of alleged staff illegalities or not.

In quitting the race earlier this week, Libby claimed it was because he “did not qualify for Clean Elections financial support.”

The real reason was he “didn’t qualify.”

If you can’t run a simple campaign – especially after you’ve been caught not just once in the muck but twice – then you can’t run a state.

Even with a PhD.