AUGUSTA — A Democratic state lawmaker in Maine urged his colleagues on Monday to support his effort to strip the governor of his power to fill vacancies in the U.S. Senate.

If one of the U.S. senators representing Maine – Republican Susan Collins and Independent Angus King were to step down this month, Republican Gov. Paul LePage could appoint a replacement until voters choose a new senator in November 2016. But Democratic Rep. Matt Moonen wants to require that a special primary election is held no later than 100 days after a vacancy occurs, followed by a special general election.

The proposal has raised questions about whether Democrats are concerned about the possibility of Collins leaving her six-year term early to run for governor in 2018. But Moonen told lawmakers on the Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee that his decision to introduce the bill had nothing to do with Collins.

While there have been rumors that Collins might be interested in the Blaine House, others in Maine’s political circles have dismissed or downplayed suggestions that she would give up a high-profile and influential position in Washington to run for governor. Collins is the senior Republican woman in the Senate and has a reputation as a deal-maker able to work with both parties.

Collins spokeswoman Alleigh Marré said that, as a matter of rule, Collins does not comment on state legislative issues and said the senator is focused on her work in D.C.

“Both Governor LePage and Senator Collins just won their respective re-elections a few months ago,” Marré said in a statement. “As Senator Collins begins her fourth term she is focused on the issues before the 114th Congress and is not even thinking about 2018 or any future election cycles.”

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States must hold a special election if a U.S. House member leaves before their term is finished, but the federal government left it up to the states to decide what to do for senators. Maine is one of 36 states that allow the governor to appoint a Senate replacement while 14 states require a special election, Moonen said.

A gubernatorial appointee could potentially serve more than two years in the Senate under the current system. If a senator decides to step down less than 60 days before a regular primary election, voters couldn’t pick their party’s nominee until the following primary two years later. The general election would be held six months after that.

“Two and a half years without the voters being able to weigh in on who represents them is a problem,” Moonen said.

The last time the scenario played out in Maine was in 1980 when Gov. Joseph Brennan appointed George Mitchell to replace Sen. Ed Muskie when he stepped down to become U.S. Secretary of State.

The Maine Secretary of State’s Office has estimated that it would cost about $300,000 to hold a Senate special election should Moonen’s bill pass.

LePage spokeswoman Adrienne Bennett said the governor will examine the proposal when it gets to his office but said it appears that the measure is “yet another attempt from Democrats to circumvent executive branch authority.”


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