AUGUSTA — The chairman of the Maine Republican Party says Sen.-elect Angus King’s decision to caucus with Democrats was a foregone conclusion, even before the GOP and conservative groups spent millions of dollars attacking him during the campaign.

Charlie Webster said Wednesday that King was a Democrat when he moved to Maine from Virginia, and that his heart always stayed with the Democratic Party’s ideals even though he served two terms as governor as an independent.

He also said King never really entertained the notion of caucusing with Republicans, calling him a “lifelong liberal Democrat.”

King announced his decision Wednesday in Washington, D.C., saying it gave him the best opportunity to shape legislation while remaining independent. With King joining their caucus, Democrats will have a 55 to 45 edge in the Senate.

 


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