Tom Allen
Maine’s First District Congressman Tom Allen, 63, lives in Portland with his wife of almost 40 years, Diana. He has two daughters, Gwen and Kate, both married and one grandchild, Charlie, born Feb. 26. Allen has a bachelor’s degree from Bowdoin, a degree from Oxford in England as a Rhodes Scholar, and a law degree from Harvard. He was first elected in 1996 to Maine’s first congressional district.
Candidate’s Statement: “There are many reasons why Tom Allen is the best choice for the U.S. Senate this year. Tom Allen and Sen. Susan Collins fundamentally disagree on the right approaches for Maine and this nation. Tom wants to change the direction for Maine and the nation and to put us back on the right track while Susan Collins represents more of the same.
“Tom Allen voted against the war in Iraq while Susan Collins voted for it. He has been working ever since to safely and responsibly bring our troops home while Susan Collins supports an open-ended commitment of our troops in Iraq.
“Tom Allen focuses his efforts on strengthening the middle class and small businesses while Susan Collins supports the Bush-Cheney economic policies that favor the super-wealthy and big corporations while being harmful to most Mainers and small businesses.
“Tom Allen has always supported investments in alternative and renewable energies, and other efforts to wean ourselves from foreign oil dependence while Susan Collins supports the Bush-Cheney energy policies that sent $14 billion in tax breaks and incentives to “Big Oil” during a time of record profits.
“Tom Allen is the only candidate for the U.S. Senate – across the nation – to offer a universal health care plan while Susan Collins favors piecemeal approaches that don’t solve our healthcare crisis.
“We can change the direction of Maine and our nation, and solve the problems that have occurred during the Bush-Cheney Administration by making sure we break up the gridlock in the Senate, and Tom Allen will be that agent of change.”

Tom Ledue
Thomas John (Tom) Ledue, 44, lives in Springvale with his wife, Claire and four children, Natalie, Catherine, Annie, and Rachel, Ledue earned a bachelor of arts in political science and a masters in educational leadership from the University of Southern Maine. He is an educator on sabbatical from School Administrative District 60.
Candidate’s Statement: “The urgent needs of our country require bold leadership and a renewed vision. Ledue offers leadership with a new kind of experience. As a nation we need to create a future that incorporates and builds upon the genius of all people. As a nation we are currently on a path that keeps neighbors at war with each other and depletes our authority around the world. When we recall that this country was built upon a proposition that all people are created equal, that every problem we face has a solution within our grasp, and that justice is not a commodity that can be bought or sold, then we can recall and reclaim our greatness in world leadership.
“Energy policy impacts so many other aspects of our government and our daily lives. Ledue will move our nation with policies directed at getting off of petroleum and carbon-based fuels. There are simple things that our government can do: move subsidies from large corporations to smaller community efforts that support local energy and food production; call for all military facilities and federally controlled buildings to be green and energy independent as much as possible. This would create an immediate demand and development of green industries to support the transition.
“It is estimated that due to a lack of access to basic health services, more than 18,000 of our neighbors in the U.S. die each year. Too many people in our state and our country do not have access to affordable health care – and it will remain so until we can remove the health care for profit model we now have. In the short term we need to expand all of our current health care opportunities like assistance to small businesses that offer health plans for all employees; SChIP; Medicaid and Medicare and programs to provide basic care for all – especially our most vulnerable. Concurrently we need to work towards a system that represents the best practices in care and management that allows all people to live without the fear of losing their lives due to an unaffordable medical setback.”