PORTLAND (NEWS CENTER Maine)-- What can hurt a candidate during a primary campaign could help in the fall-- and vice versa.
This week on Political Brew, NEWS CENTER Maine political analyst Phil Harriman is joined by former legislator and Congressional candidate Emily Cain, who now serves as executive director of Emily's List, an organization that works to elect pro-choice Democratic women.
The two discuss the dynamics of the Republican and Democratic races for governor.
In our Voice of the Voter forum with the Democrats, Mark Eves was challenging Janet Mills on the high grades she earned from the NRA in past legislative campaigns.
Phil Harriman believes that could drive some primary voters away from Mills, but could be an asset in the general election.
Emily Cain points out that her organization has endorsed Mills, and part of the reason is her support for Maine's tradition of responsible gun ownership.
On the Republican side, the candidates in our forum did not attack former DHHS commissioner Mary Mayhew over problems in that agency, but our analysts say it will be a different story if Mayhew is the GOP nominee.
Cain says it will be rough. "If she's going to run on her record at DHHS, we're going to end up talking a lot about terrible mismanagement and some of the cruelest cuts."
Harriman says that will be a lightning rod for the campaign, but he thinks Mayhew can defend her record. "For every example you can show of something unfortunate happening to a citizen, there are overwhelming statistics showing people getting off welfare, finding jobs, getting education and so forth."
Cain and Harriman have differing views of President Trump's foreign policy actions of late.
Harriman says they represent Trump keeping campaign promises. Cain argues that many Americans are concerned that Trump's decisions will make the world less stable.
Political Brew airs Sundays on The Morning Report.