Brewer speaks with MPBN about presidential race
Mark Brewer, a political science professor at the University of Maine, was interviewed by the Maine Public Broadcasting Network for the report, “Presidential race in Maine different than many states.” In most states, the two major political parties are well entrenched, and third-party candidates are rarely a factor in the race for president, according to the report. But Maine has long been known for its independent streak, which extends to politics, and some political observers believe third-party candidates will be a factor here this fall, the report states. Although Green Party candidate Jill Stein might hope to bring in former Bernie Sanders supporters, Brewer said he doubts that will happen. “Disgruntled Bernie supporters will — they may grumble about it, they may grit their teeth, they may want to take a shower after — but I think ultimately they will vote for Hillary Clinton,” he said. Brewer added he expects Libertarians may gain full party status, which requires five percent of the vote, and says they might even break into the double digits. As compared to voters in many other states, he said Mainers are more open to voting for an independent or minor party candidate.