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Political Brew: Trump ballot dispute, King challenger, and NH Primary

NEWS CENTER Maine's political analysts Phil Harriman and Ethan Strimling weigh in on the major political issues of the week.

PORTLAND, Maine — It was another busy week of politics in Maine and across the country. From the ongoing legal issues surrounding former President Trump's ballot eligibility to a new challenger for Sen. Angus King, and looking ahead to the New Hampshire Primary.  

Trump ballot drama

Secretary of State Shenna Bellows is appealing the decision by a superior court justice when it comes to former President Donald Trump's ballot eligibility. Earlier in the week, the justice left it up to Bellows to essentially decide whether Trump can appear on Maine's primary ballot pending the ruling by the US Supreme Court on a case out of Colorado. Secretary Bellows and the Colorado State Supreme Court came to a similar conclusion, saying Trump isn't eligible to be on the primary ballots for his alleged involvement in the Jan. 6 insurrection.

ZACH:  "Ethan, we know you have been involved in this process. How do you expect the justices, the Supreme Court justices to rule in this case?"

ETHAN: "Well, I can't predict that for sure. What I know is that the decision that came out of the superior court...it really was no decision. And that was the problem. It just sent it back to Shenna. So we're all waiting for the U.S. Supreme Court, right? That is where this is going to ultimately land. And they have an aggressive timeline. But if it's still sitting in front of Shenna Bellows, once that Supreme Court rules, we then have another five or six weeks of possible appeals and it's too far out. So I think Secretary Bellows was correct...Look, we need an answer to this question."

ZACH: "Phil, is she just looking for some cover here?"

PHIL: "Well, partly. But I also think if you're sitting here watching the Political Brew with your first cup of coffee this morning, you probably got a headache just listening to the process that we're discussing here. And that's what's frustrating to most Americans, is that this is all administrative procedures and appeals, and let's get the Supreme Court to make a decision and move on."

King challenger

Former Maine GOP chair Demi Kouzounas said she plans to run against Independent Senator Angus King. It is not official yet, but Kouzounas said she received a call from Sen. Susan Collins this week encouraging her to run. Kouzounas was an analyst on Political Brew before announcing her run. 

ETHAN: "It is. And it will be very interesting to hear what Senator Collins ultimately says about this. You know, oftentimes people who are in positions like that will call people who are thinking about running and will be encouraging and say, 'Hey, you ought to think about this.' Whether or not that's an official endorsement, that's a big step. So if Demi just made a very big mistake, which she might have made, that's going to be a real problem for her. But look, this is an uphill battle. Very tough. Angus King is really going to be hard to beat. So I don't think it will matter necessarily whether Senator Collins fully endorses her."

PHIL: "You know, I think it's unfortunate that Senator Collins is the news story here. Demi has decided to run and good for her and all the best. But I think you know, from a collegial point of view and I think it bears even in the State Senate, let alone the U.S. Senate, where, you know, your colleagues and the thought that you're going to find a way to unseat one of your colleagues from the same state or the same district is not good for internal relations."

NH Primary

The New Hampshire primary is this week. We'll be there on the ground starting Monday while the candidates are out there fighting for votes. President Joe Biden won't be on the ballot and Trump is still the apparent Republican front-runner, but Nikki Haley appears to be gaining some ground. Ron DeSantis, who got second in Iowa, is already looking ahead to South Carolina. Two debates scheduled this week that are traditions in New Hampshire were canceled because Haley refused to participate in them without Trump.

ZACH: "Do you think Haley will actually do well in New Hampshire?"

PHIL: "I think partly, yes. Partly because it's an open primary. Independents can come and vote or Democrats can come and vote in the Republican primary. And I think people who are not so happy with Joe Biden and are definitely not happy with Trump are going to put their support behind Nikki. But I don't think it's going to be enough to overcome the primary in New Hampshire. If she loses in South Carolina, I would suspect it's over."

ETHAN: "All right. So we're betting a cup of coffee on this one because I predicted on this show a few weeks ago that Nikki Haley was going to win New Hampshire. I think it's still going to happen. So I'm choosing the coffee shop where you buy me a cup of coffee when it occurs. But I think. Tuning in, Zach, on Tuesday night. I mean, look, I think Nikki Haley has a real shot here. I do think that, as Phil says, she's going to have a real shot here, win, lose, or draw. Even if she were to win South Carolina, which I think she's going to do okay in, it's then just a plummeting after that and Donald Trump walks away with this nomination."

You can watch Political Brew every Sunday on The Morning Report at 6 a.m. You can also catch it any time on NEWS CENTER Maine+.

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