Maine news, sports, weather from Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram, Portland, Maine

State Treasurer and U.S. Senate candidate Bruce Poliquin did not receive his $5,000 check from a Texas PAC until after a federal reporting deadline, according to the Republican strategist who coordinates the PAC.

“He didn’t get it until April,” said Rob Jesmer, executive director of the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

That's important, at least to close observers of the primary race, because it helps explains why Poliquin didn't have to file a recent financial disclosure report along with all the other candidates.

Jesmer oversees Alamo, a political action committee created by U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas. As I  wrote in a blog post earlier this week, Alamo sent $5,000 checks to Poliquin and four other Republican candidates in March.

While the other four candidates reported March financial activity that included the donation, Poliquin did not file any report.

Poliquin's check was disbursed on March 6 along with several of the oters, but it took Alamo longer to get a correct mailing address for Poliquin's campaign than it did for the others.

“There was an address mixup so it did not get to him until after the (April 1) deadline,”  Jesmer said today.

Any candidate who raised or spent more than $5,000 by March 31 was required to file a financial disclosure report with the Federal Election Commission. Poliquin is the only one of 10 Republican and Democratic candidates in the race who did not file a report on  fundraising and spending though March. The treasurer also declined to disclose his campaign's financial activity when asked by a reporter.

All 10 candidates in the June 12 primary will have to file updated financial disclosure reports at the end of May.

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Open Season targets all of Maine's political wildlife, from Portland city government to the donkeys, elephants and independents stalking the Statehouse and U.S. Capitol.

John Richardson joined the Press Herald in 1990 after working as a reporter in New Jersey. He has covered a variety of beats, including marine issues, the environment and health care. He is now covering politics and focusing on Maine's U.S. Senate race.
John can be reached at 791-6324 or jrichardson@pressherald.com
On Twitter: @jrichmaine

Colin Woodard has covered politics and elections for more than two decades, from Bosnia and Bucharest to Washington, D.C., Augusta, and Portland City Hall. He has written for a wide range of national and international publications and is the author of four books, including "American Nations," a history of North America's regional cultures. He joined the Portland Press Herald at the end of April and covers political finance and lobbying, among other things.
Colin can be reached at 791-6317 or cwoodard@pressherald.com

Susan Cover has covered Maine politics for 10 years and worked in Kansas, Ohio and Rhode Island as a reporter. This year, she is focusing on covering the same-sex marriage debate for MaineToday Media.
Susan can be reached at 621-5643 or scover@mainetoday.com

Michael Shepherd joined MaineToday Media in May 2012 after graduating from the University of Maine in Orono, where he edited The Maine Campus, the student newspaper there. Until November he'll be writing the Truth Test, a recurring feature analyzing political statements and advertising.
Michael can be reached at 621-5632 or mshepherd@mainetoday.com

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