But the quiet lawmaker, who answered an earlier call to serve Westbrook, keeps the discourse civil.

Unfazed by the latest controversy, diehard defenders salute his blunt style, even as they acknowledge it has costs.

Democratic House Speaker Mark Eves surprisingly endorses Senate President Mike Thibodeau as a replacement for the governor, a notion the Winterport Republican dismisses.

Democrats will be looking to capitalize on what incumbent Republicans did or didn’t do to address controversial conduct by the governor.

The Republican Senate president says Senate members will be discussing whether they think additional steps are needed to ensure LePage’s recent ‘explosiveness’ doesn’t continue.

He intends to move on from the voice mail controversy and other conduct as Senate Republicans consider seeking more corrective action.