91AV

Brian Duff, Ph.D., assistant professor of political science, was quoted in a June 5, 2010 story and on June 4th in a story on Tuesday's primary elections and referendums in Maine. With voter turnout expected to be low, Duff told Foster's that none of the five state referendum questions has "anyone fired up." Aside from the questions, Duff said it's difficult to pin down any other forces that will drive the primary results. The Tea Party movement appears to have less influence in Maine than other parts of the country, and while nearly all the candidates have made job creation a primary issue, none have laid out specifics, he said. "There's not a candidate who has lit this thing on fire," he said. "None of the candidates seems to have a plan that stands out." In the Bangor Daily News, Duff said that with so many Republican voters still undecided, Peter Mills stands out in the field with name recognition and because "he is the most moderate and he has the most experience in state politics.”