U.S. House of Representatives

First District: Covering Cumberland Knox, Lincoln, Sagadahoc, and York Counties, plus part of Kennebec County. On June 10, Democrat Chellie Pingree and Republican Charlie Summers won their respective parties' nominations for the seat currently held by Democrat Rep. Tom Allen, who is vacating the seat to run for the U.S. Senate against incumbent Republican Senator Susan Collins.

Second District:  Covering part of Kennebec County, plus Androscoggin, Aroostook, Franklin, Hancock, Oxford, Penobscot, Piscataquis, Somerset, Waldo and Washington Counties. The seat is currently held by Mike Michaud, who was first elected to his seat in the U.S. House in 2002. One Republican has declared his candidacy for this office, John Frary of Farmington.

It's Pingree vs. Summers in November in Maine's First District

Democrat Chellie Pingree of North Haven and Charlie Summers of Scarborough have won their parties' nominations and will face each other in the November election. Listen to MPBN's Susan Sharon and Barbara Cariddi's election night reports:

Democrat Chellie Pingree                     Republican Charlie Summers

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Reaction and Analysis of Tuesday's Results - Your Vote 2008/Maine Things Considered Coverage

Upsets of Well-Known Candidates Raise Questions About The Electorate's Desire For Change
Reported By: A. J. Higgins    Date Aired: 6/11/2008

They may have been lost in the glare of the spotlight on Maine's 1st Congressional District races, but yesterday's primary produced several upsets in state House and Senate races. A few well-established candidates were vanquished by youthful newcomers to state politics who may have been riding a wave of change ushered in by Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama. As A.J. Higgins reports, the state's light voter turnout also clearly helped some candidates, but hurt others.

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Maine's Democratic and Republican Parties Gear Up For Next Phase of the 2008 Election
Reported By: Tom Porter    Date Aired: 6/11/2008

"We've had our differences, but we're all friends now" - that was the message today from Maine's Democratic party as members put on a display of unity after wrapping up the primaries last night. Following a keenly watched, and at times divisive, six-way contest to represent Maine's 1st congressional district in November's election, the five losing candidates showed up to throw their weight behind winner Chellie Pingree. Meanwhile, Julie Ann O'Brien, executive director of Maine's Republican Party, says the GOP is unified behind Summers. And Bowdoin professor of Government Chris Potholm says Charlie Summers' relatively moderate stance means he's well positioned to build the party's base of support. Tom Porter has the full story.

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MPBN First District Congressional Candidate Call-in Programs

MPBN conducted series of First District Congressional candidate call-in programs on the radio stations of MPBN during the Maine primary season, one for each of the six Democrats and two Republicans who sought their respective parties' nominations to run for Maine's First District Congressional seat. Now that the field has been winnowed down to Democrat Chellie Pingree and Republican Charlie Summers, MPBN will leave the audio from these call-in programs here through the election:

Democratic 1st District House Candidate	Air Date:	Stream	Podcast
Chellie Pingree, North Haven	May 1
Republican 1st District House Candidate	Air Date	Stream	Podcast
Charlie Summers, Scarborough	May 21

Maine's 1st Congressional District Candidates Forum, sponsored by the Maine Veterans Coordinating Committee - April 7, 2008

Question #1 - Veterans are concerned about the cost of gasoline and fuel oil and food and job availability; in fact the economy as a whole - what is your approach to this problem?
Chellie Pingree's response:	Windows     (3:12)
Ruth Summers' response: (filling in for spouse, Charlie)	Windows     (1:25)

Question #2 - How do you propose to provide proper medical care to rural veterans living in Maine?
Chellie Pingree's response:	Windows     (3:40)
Ruth Summers' response: (filling in for spouse, Charlie)	Windows     (2:56)

Primary Debates on MPBN TV, Radio and MPBN.net

Thurs., June 5 - Two Republican Candidates for House District 1 (30 minutes)

Thurs., May 29  - Six Democratic Candidates for House District 1 (1 hour)

Your Vote 2008 Stories from Maine Things Considered

Congressional Candidate Chellie Pingree Profiled
Reported By: Susan Sharon   Date Aired: 5/13/2008

Her resume is diverse: She's owned several small businesses, been a farmer, served in the Maine State Senate, run and lost a race for U.S. Senate and worked in Washington as the head of the national election reform group Common Cause. Now Democrat Chellie Pingree is back in Maine on the campaign trail in the first congressional district seeking to fill the seat being vacated by Tom Allen. Susan Sharon continues our series of candidate profiles with a look at Pingree's priorities.

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Candidate Stand-in Commended for Impressive Campaign
Reported By: Keith McKeen    Date Aired: 4/28/2008

One of the First District Congressional campaigns is receiving high marks..even in the absence of its candidate.. Charlie Summers has been serving in Iraq. But his wife, Ruth Summers has become a popular surrogate in debates and on the campaign trail.

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MPBN Broadcasts Panel Discussion: "Our Constitution In Crisis -- What Does A Broken Democracy Look Like & How Do We Fix It?"

Thursday, March 6 at 1:00 pm on MPBN Radio: A two-hour forum on the balance of power between the executive and legislative branches of government held recently in Portland featured five of the eight First District Congressional candidates: four Democrats and one Republican.  Introductory remarks were presented by featured speaker John Nichols (pictured right), Washington correspondent for the "The Nation" and author of "The Genius of Impeachment."    Audio Streaming Podcast Part 1 (53:49): Part 2 (1:09:00):

John Nichols of The Nation

Support for Your Vote 2008 has been provided, in part, by:

1st District Congressional Candidate

Web Sites (Maine):

Democrat:

Chellie Pingree

Republican:

Charlie Summers

2nd District Congressional Candidate

Web Sites (Maine):

Democrat:

Mike Michaud

Republican:

John Frary