AUGUSTA (AP) — As Maine voters headed to the voting booths, Republican Gov. Paul LePage was hoping to fend off a fierce challenge from Democrat Mike Michaud to win another four years in the Blaine House.

LePage and Michaud are locked in a tight race approaching Tuesday’s election with independent Eliot Cutler trailing in a distant third.

The three candidates on Monday made their final appeals to voters while workers scrambled to restore power to thousands of homes and potentially some polling places after a powerful storm swept across Maine.

The Secretary of State’s office couldn’t say how many polling places were impacted by the storm, but said it was working to set up alternative voting locations or power sources, if necessary.

Meanwhile, the candidates got some help from some of their big-name supporters.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie wrapped up his campaign on behalf of Republican governors with a fifth appearance with LePage. Appearing in Portland, Christie described LePage as a candidate who wants the best for Maine and who “may say things in a way that are rather direct.”

Minutes later, LePage, did just that.

Predicting a victory, LePage joked that one of his harshest critics, a newspaper columnist, needs to be put on a “suicide watch” because of his impending victory.

Maine Democratic Party Chairman Ben Grant condemned LePage’s remark as “distasteful and inappropriate.”

Elsewhere, independent U.S. Sen. Angus King stumped with Michaud at the New Balance Factory in Skowhegan Monday, calling him a “tenacious advocate for Maine.” The senator threw his support behind the Democrat last week after initially backing Cutler, saying it’s clear the independent doesn’t have the support to defeat LePage.

“The people who have supported (Cutler), as I did, have a decision to make as to whether they want to cast what amounts to a protest vote or whether they want to cast a vote that will make a difference in this election,” King said Monday.

Cutler acknowledged last week that his odds of winning are long but said he has no intention of getting out of the race. He spent Monday touring businesses in Portland and his spokeswoman, Crystal Canney, said he’s “campaigning through to the end and hoping to win.”

The governor’s race isn’t the only thing on the ballot.

Mainers also are deciding races for Senate and the state’s 1st and 2nd Congressional District seats. Voters are also being asked whether to approve six bond proposals totaling $50 million and whether the state should ban the use of dogs, traps and bait to hunt bears.

As the storm left more than 100,000 without power, questions were raised about whether it would impact turnout.

LePage spokesman Alex Willette said the campaign is confident that the governor’s supporters will get to the polls.

“I think people have seen the ads and we’ve made the get-out-the-vote phone calls, so I don’t think it will be that big of an issue for us,” he said. “We’re just worried about people staying warm.”

Michaud’s campaign agreed.

“We are doing everything in our power to make sure people know where to go vote and how to get there on Election Day, so we’re confident that our voters are more energized and more motivated,” said Michaud spokeswoman Lizzy Reinholt.

Copy the Story Link