Advertisement Cutler frees supporters to vote for other candidates, not dropping out Eliot Cutler trailing Gov. Paul LePage, Rep. Mike Michaud in race for governor Share Shares Copy Link Copy

Independent candidate for governor Eliot Cutler announced on Wednesday that his supporters are free to vote for other candidates if they don't think he can win.Click here to watch the report.U.S. Sen. Angus King, an independent, withdrew his support for Cutler late Wednesday afternoon and is throwing his political weight behind Democratic Rep. Mike Michaud.Left-leaning voters have been putting a lot of pressure on Cutler to drop out of the race, but he insisted he is staying in the race even though he is almost guaranteed to lose.“We have a steep hill to climb in the next few days. I am a realist about my chances, but I’ll be damned if I will kowtow to party politics and allow a bunch of polls to drown out the voices of thousands of Maine people who believe that standing for principles, ideals and ideas makes you an American and not a spoiler,” Cutler said.Cutler, who is trailing in third place to Republican Gov. Paul LePage and Michaud, told supporters to vote their conscience.“Anyone who has supported me but who now worries that I cannot win and is thereby compelled by their fears or by their conscience to vote instead for Mr. LePage or Mr. Michaud should do so,” Cutler said.Some voters said they have decided to vote for Michaud even though they think Cutler would do a better job.“I would support him if I could, but the possibility of four more years with Gov. LePage is simply not worth the risk,” said Emily Springer, who is switching from Cutler to Michaud.“I’m still a fan of Eliot Cutler, but I’ll tell you, Michaud’s going to get my vote,” Jim Shaffer said.Michaud said he is hoping the new support will help him bounce LePage out of the Blaine House.“I hope that we’re able to convince some of the Cutler supporters to look at what we’ve been talking about for quite some time. For the undecided voters to look at what we’ve been talking about and hopefully come on board on the campaign by 8 p.m. next Tuesday,” Michaud said.Republicans said they are hoping new support from Barbara Bush and Olympia Snowe will give LePage the edge.“Democrats have launched a cruel campaign against Mr. Cutler, who pushed back against the bullying today and made clear that he is standing firm. The Michaud campaign has arrogantly assumed that independents and Cutler supporters owe the Democratic establishment their allegiance,” the state Republican Party chairman said Wednesday.President Obama will campaign Thursday in Portland for Michaud.Cutler also asked voters to support rank-choice voting.A poll released on Tuesday showed LePage at 40.3 percent compared to Michaud at 39.7 percent. Cutler remained in third at 12.7 percent.In a poll done in September, Cutler was polling at nearly 20 percent.