Governor, upset over ad, does not want to share stage with Democrat Mike Michaud

Gov. LePage says he may not attend political debates

Gov. Paul LePage said Monday he’s leaning toward not doing any debates in the race for the Blaine House because he doesn’t want to share a stage with his Democratic challenger, Rep. Mike Michaud.The governor made the comment during an interview with WMTW News 8 for a political profile piece that is set to air in early October.“I won’t be on a stage with Mike Michaud - I don’t think - from here on out,” LePage said.LePage said Michaud should have denounced a third-party political advertisement that says the governor thinks that Social Security is welfare.In June, the governor’s office put out a press release that seemed to include Social Security in a category with welfare benefits and the governor’s opponents pounced on the poor wording.LePage said he does not believe that Social Security is welfare.On Monday, LePage and his campaign staffers said Michaud should denounce the political advertisement because it is a lie and it is meant to scare senior citizens.“And it’s really too bad because I used to have a lot of respect for Mike Michaud,” LePage told WMTW News 8. “I don’t particularly like his politics, but he’s a nice guy and I think he means well, but when he doesn’t speak out against these kind of ads, then that’s sad.”WMTW News 8 is sponsoring a debate on Oct. 21. The station invited LePage, Michaud and independent Eliot Cutler to participate and all three candidates previously agreed to attend.WMTW News 8 is continuing to work on this story and expects to get responses from the campaigns of both Michaud and independent candidate Eliot Cutler on Monday afternoon.

Gov. Paul LePage said Monday he’s leaning toward not doing any debates in the race for the Blaine House because he doesn’t want to share a stage with his Democratic challenger, Rep. Mike Michaud.

The governor made the comment during an interview with WMTW News 8 for a political profile piece that is set to air in early October.


“I won’t be on a stage with Mike Michaud - I don’t think - from here on out,” LePage said.

LePage said Michaud should have denounced a third-party political advertisement that says the governor thinks that Social Security is welfare.

In June, the governor’s office put out a press release that seemed to include Social Security in a category with welfare benefits and the governor’s opponents pounced on the poor wording.

LePage said he does not believe that Social Security is welfare.

On Monday, LePage and his campaign staffers said Michaud should denounce the political advertisement because it is a lie and it is meant to scare senior citizens.

“And it’s really too bad because I used to have a lot of respect for Mike Michaud,” LePage told WMTW News 8. “I don’t particularly like his politics, but he’s a nice guy and I think he means well, but when he doesn’t speak out against these kind of ads, then that’s sad.”

WMTW News 8 is sponsoring a debate on Oct. 21. The station invited LePage, Michaud and independent Eliot Cutler to participate and all three candidates previously agreed to attend.

WMTW News 8 is continuing to work on this story and expects to get responses from the campaigns of both Michaud and independent candidate Eliot Cutler on Monday afternoon.