Waterville Mayor Paul LePage has been all over rural Maine in his quest to be the state’s next governor: northern Maine, eastern Maine, western Maine, central Maine.

In waning days of his campaign, he’s focusing on southern Maine. He’s doing meet and greets in Portland, talking to media in the area and wooing voters in York County. He’s working the phones, making sure that supporters get out to vote.

LePage’s base is in central Maine, where he’s an elected Republican mayor in a Democratic-leaning city. His strong conservative stances have also played well in rural areas.

His latest efforts to target southern Maine reflect attempts to garner votes in what’s typically seen as a more progressive region.

And he plans on going full-bore until the last vote is counted in the GOP primary Tuesday.

“I’m going to take Wednesday off,” said LePage between campaign stops recently. “One way or the other, I’m sleeping in Wednesday morning.”

LePage enjoyed strong support at the Republican State Convention in mid-May, and he said the momentum has carried through. He points to his Facebook page, which had about 700 fans ahead of the convention and has hit more than 3,500 now.

“It’s just blossomed, exploded,” said LePage.

LePage has gotten $164,986 in cash contributions and has loaned $111,000 to the campaign for a total of $275,986. On Thursday, according to finance reports, he spent $20,800 on a new recorded telephone message campaign and $13,500 on a media buy. In late May, LePage spent $19,120 on a new mailer campaign and another $4,200 on more lawn signs for supporters.

He noted his war chest wasn’t huge, but he said the efforts of his volunteers were “humbling.”

The Republican primary, said LePage, has boiled down to “a resume versus the machine versus money.”

“I’m betting on the resume,” said LePage.

 

Staff Writer Matt Wickenheiser can be contacted at 791-6316 or at:

mwickenheiser@pressherald.com