AUGUSTA

While Republicans complained that an Angus King ad fails to meet regulatory muster, the independent U.S. Senate candidate answered back Wednesday with a new TV spot featuring Godzilla, hoping to convince viewers he’s not the monster he’s portrayed to be by his opponents.

But it’s not the ad that bothered the Republicans, who picked apart an earlier King ad. State GOP Chairman Charles Webster filed a formal complaint with the Federal Election Commission claiming that a statement of approval of the ad didn’t appear on the screen, as required.

The King campaign said that if it needs to fix the ad, it will.

“If Charlie (Webster) is confused, we’ll be glad to clarify,” said King spokeswoman Crystal Canney.

Meanwhile, King and Republican Charlie Summers met in a debate in South Portland in which the candidates touched on taxes, health care, energy and business regulation. The invitation-only debate was sponsored by the Maine Manufacturers Association, the Maine State Chamber and the Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce.

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Summers, Maine’s secretary of state, called for reduced taxes and eased business regulations, saying “if we do those things this economy will begin to move,” the Portland Press Herald reported. The two also differed on health care, with Summers opposing the Affordable Care Act and King saying he supports the law.

King, a former two-term governor, expressed optimism about manufacturing growth, in part because of the availability of cheap natural gas.

Democratic candidate Cynthia Dill, a state senator, did not attend because of a scheduling conflict with a government class that she teaches at Southern Maine Community College in South Portland.

The three, plus three other independents, are vying for the seat held by Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe, who is not seeking re-election.

Dill is seemingly portrayed positively in a new wave of TV ads by the National Republican Senatorial Committee. The ads appear to praise Dill for her progressive values while finding fault with King’s record. Improving Dill’s standing against front-runner King would benefit Summers.

Dill on Wednesday called the ads “deceptive” and “cynical.”

“Maine people are witnessing the most deceptive political advertising to ever hit our state,” Dill said in a statement. “The ads are a brazen effort to try to hoodwink Maine people, hoping to divide voters and ‘purchase’ our U.S. Senate race with outof state money.”



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