Editor:
   I’m gratified at the tremendous early support I have received in the Jan 3 “Maine News” poll (http://newsofmaine.blogspot.com/), showing me leading both Tom Allen and Susan Collins in the upcoming Maine race for U.S. Senate. My early lead, which can be viewed as a screenshot on my blog (http://lauriedobson.blogspot.com), is the best indicator to date of my support in Maine.
   As of Jan 5, the poll still showed me leading Collins. Allen, with help no doubt from his new Facebook page and the democratic party’s alertmobile, has now pulled ahead of me.
   It’s a very questionable poll. Nobody is on the ballot yet, and the majority of the public has yet to weigh in on their preference. Few people have heard about me, and how could they? My candidacy has received little coverage in Maine’s major papers, but not through lack of effort. But the poll results are significant, since the democratic party is well aware of this race and has put time and money into it.
   Despite the democratic push for Tom and the republican push for Susan, I gained an early lead AND HELD IT for two full days. Were the parties asleep at the wheel? I don’t think so. Maybe they just didn’t exert themselves — until they saw that independent Laurie Dobson was beating the pants off them.
   My lead in the poll is significant, since paid ads for Allen were posted directly above the poll, and there were links to “Turn Maine Blue,” an openly and rabidly pro-Allen political advertisement blog which has vigorously denounced and even slandered my candidacy. Nevertheless, we showed ‘em that we’re in the race and we’re hanging in there!
   While I don’t blame the blog for openly proselytizing for Allen, I don’t think they should try to explain away my early success as an accident. I guess you could explain Iowa that way to Hillary. Like Allen, she is the dems’ anointed one. But this year, anything goes and that goes for Maine. And as Maine goes, so they say....
Laurie Dobson
Kennebunkport