Follow the money – again

In 2009 there was this report about how there is money to be made in political campaigns. At the time, Maine Leads paid a marketing firm, Pioneer Group, $235,500 for direct mailing on three citizens initiatives. Pioneer Group was owned by one of Maine Leads employees, Trevor Bragdon. Trevor is the brother of Tarren Bragdon, whom at the time was the executive director of Maine Heritage Policy Center (MHPC), which created Maine Leads.

Flash forward to today. A special election is being held to fill the Senate District 19 seat, which is vacant after the resignation of Seth Goodall. There are three candidates in the running: Republican Paula Benoit, Daniel Stromgren of the Green Party, and Democrat Eloise Vitelli. All three are seeking to run as Clean Elections candidates (MCEA).

The Senate Democratic Campaign Committee and the Maine Republican Party have have made independent expenditures for Vitelli and Benoit.

The expenditure report by the Maine Republicans shows $16,000 being paid to Rockwood Solutions, a marketing firm located in Manchester, New Hampshire.

Rockwood is owned by Trevor Bragdon.

Bragdon and the executive director of the Maine Republicans, Jason Savage, worked together at the State House. Savage founded Maine People Before Politics after having worked on Gov. Paul LePage’s gubernatorial campaign. Bragdon was a special assistant to then House Speaker Bob Nutting (R), but left that position last year when his wife took a job in New Hampshire.