The National Republican Congressional Committee this week pressed Maine Democrat Emily Cain to say whether she’s still backing her party’s presidential candidate.
What makes it an odd twist is that her opponent, U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin, the first-term Republican from Maine’s hotly contested 2nd District, has made it clear to this point he will not say whether he supports GOP standard-bearer Donald Trump.
Cain said she continues to stand with Hillary Clinton in the Nov. 8 election, adding it is “truly disappointing” that her opponent “has ducked and dodged on this and so many other questions in an attempt to keep his office and Wall Street donors.”
She said she will “always tell the truth and be straightforward about my beliefs.”
Poliquin has refused on many occasions to say whether he endorses Trump.
The NRCC launched a social blitz Monday asking if Cain still stood behind Clinton in the wake of renewed FBI interest in her emails during the Democrat’s stint as secretary of state.
Cain didn’t hesitate in saying she still stands with Clinton.
“I hope to earn the votes of Mainers of all political perspectives, because they know they can trust me to tell the truth and to work for them, not myself,” she said.
Poliquin’s campaign had no comment on his position on the presidential contest, but Chris Pack, an NRCC spokesman, said Cain needs to explain her support for Clinton.
He said Cain “is the one who has consistently made the race for Maine’s 2nd District about the race for president. Bruce Poliquin has consistently made the race for Maine’s 2nd District about the race for Maine’s 2nd District.”
It isn’t clear how Cain has made the race any more about the presidential outcome than Poliquin beyond telling people whom she plans to vote for.
The Maine GOP pointed to a video in which Cain answers a question about Clinton by saying that she thinks the Democratic nominee has good character.
NRCC Communications Director Katie Martin said Cain ought to drop her support for Clinton.
“It’s time Cain stood up for Mainers who deserve better than Hillary Clinton, who enables corruption, scandals and lies,” Martin said.
While campaigning in Lewiston last week, Donald Trump Jr., Trump’s oldest son, said GOP officeholders who don’t support their party’s presidential candidate — which include Poliquin and U.S. Sen. Susan Collins — are “just protecting themselves and the little environment they’ve created.”
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