Rep. Pingree will likely face Trump-like Republican opponent

Mark Holbrook with Gov. Paul LePage and Sen. Susan Collins | Holbrook campaign website

Mark Holbrook with Gov. Paul LePage and Sen. Susan Collins | official website

Dr. Mark Holbrook seems perfectly suited to the current mood of the Republican electorate. His set of extreme positions are joined to a bullying style that puts him right in line with Donald Trump and Governor Paul LePage. It’s likely this profile that allowed him to pull off a razor-thin upset win (pending an almost-certain recount) in Maine’s First District GOP primary, despite his more-traditional Republican opponent, Ande Smith, significantly outspending him.

For example, Holbrook supports Trump’s plans to ban all immigration by Muslims and “build the wall” on the Mexican border.

Holbrook wants to “completely defund Planned Parenthood” and continues to accuse the clinics of committing crimes of which multiple independent investigations have found them innocent.

He claims human-caused global warming is a hoax and says scientists are “after your wallet and more control of your life.”

Holbrook claims that Democrats “herded African-Americans onto a new plantation” by passing Great Society reforms like Medicare, Medicaid and Head Start.

He attacked his Republican opponent and his family, claiming that he “wiggles on the fact that he’s only been married two years, and that his children are from different marriages.”

And all of those are, literally, from the first page of his website.

Holbrook began a debate performance last week by declaring that “evil is on the doorstep of every household in the United States” in the form of a tyrannical government and transgender children.

If he maintains his small margin of victory, Holbrook will be the most extreme Republican candidate for the First District in history. Even if he doesn’t, his strong showing in the polls is more, sad evidence that the party of Bill Cohen and Margaret Chase Smith has deteriorated and been replaced by the party of Paul LePage and Donald Trump.

Mike Tipping

About Mike Tipping

Mike is Maine's longest-writing political blogger and explores state politics and policy with a focus on analysis and explanation. He works at the Maine People's Alliance and Maine People's Resource Center.