Iraq War Veteran Enters Maine Congressional Race

By Josh Kraushaar

(The Politico)  From the Associated Press:
Charles Summers, a lieutenant commander in the Navy who will be stationed in Iraq for the next year, announced his bid for Congress to succeed Rep. Tom Allen (D-Maine.) He is the first Republican to enter the open seat race.

Summers leaves for Iraq July 6, and could be overseas for up to a year. Summers’ wife will be the surrogate for the campaign in his absence. He may be overseas until after the state’s June 2008 Republican primary. Summers is not a newcomer to Congressional campaigns: He ran a credible race against Allen in 2004, taking 40 percent of the vote.

On the Democratic side, former Common Cause President Chellie Pingree, former state Sen. Michael Brennan, York County District Attorney Mark Lawrence and state Sen. Ethan Strimling have all kicked off their  campaigns.

The Portland-based district has been solidly Democratic, with Sen. John Kerry winning 55 percent of the vote in the 2004 presidential election.