Maine Gubernatorial Candidates Differ on Casino Views

The issue of casinos in Maine had elicited a variety of views seven gubernatorial candidates in Maine. While all acknowledge the results of voting by the populace, they still differ on their personal views of the issue.

Gambling is the issue that separates Maine's seven gubernatorial candidates. Neither Governor John Baldacci nor his Republican re-election challenger, Chandler Woodcock, is a fan of casino gambling, but that's all they agree on.

"Mainers gambling are already a reality," Pat LaMarche, the Green Indendent Party candidate, told The Associated Press in a survey of all of the candidates on gambling and on specific gambling-related questions due to appear on the November 2007 ballot.

Each of the candidates said he or she would respect the will of the voters. But voters themselves can express contradictory sentiments, as they did in 2003, when they allowed slots at harness-racing tracks but said no to an Indian casino.

Woodcock said he opposes the development of casinos in Maine. But he supports racino projects, as endorsed by Maine voters, as a means of enhancing harness racing and agricultural community. He supported the proposal for an Indian casino in Washington County when it came up for a Senate vote earlier this year and supports passage of the referendum question relating to that proposal.