Maine’s Governor: I Was Donald Trump
Donald Trump is in Portland, Maine today, as the state prepares to cast its votes for Republican and Democratic nominees for president.
Maine’s, um, colourful and controversial governor Paul Lepage was not a fan of Trump. In fact, on Feb. 20 he took part in a meeting of Republican governors and spoke up on the need to stop the Trump campaign. According to the New York Times:
“Paul R. LePage of Maine called for action. Seated at a long boardroom table at the Willard Hotel, he erupted in frustration over the state of the 2016 race, saying Mr. Trump’s nomination would deeply wound the Republican Party. Mr. LePage urged the governors to draft an open letter “to the people,” disavowing Mr. Trump and his divisive brand of politics.”
It’s often said that a week is a long time in politics. At least it must be in Maine, because six days later Lepage joined New Jersey governor Chris Christie in endorsing Trump.
“The American people are not going for a governor this year, so I am gonna endorse Donald Trump and the reasons why are very similar: I was Donald Trump before Donald Trump became popular,” LePage said according to Politico. “So I think I should support him because we’re one of the same cloth. I really think that he’s a businessman, I’m a businessman.”
To borrow from former presidential candidate John Kerry, Lepage was against Trump before he was for him. And today Lepage is on stage with Trump in Maine, another chapter in America’s bizarre Republican presidential nomination race.