By Robert E. Macdonald

Mayor of Lewiston

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.

Most of Lewiston’s mayoral candidates are slowly approaching the starting gate. But one candidate has left the gate and taken a quarter mile lead—and day by day that lead is being increased. That candidate is Ben Chin.

There are six-and-a-half months until Lewiston’s mayoral election. Unlike the others who are running for the Mayor’s Office, there is no grass growing beneath Chin’s feet. He is organized, well-funded and well-known. But most importantly, deep down in his belly, he has an overwhelming desire to win.

Two years ago Chin lost Lewiston’s mayoral election. I would be willing to bet within a couple of days of that loss he was organizing for this fall’s mayoral election. I would wager that he has turned that loss into a learning experience. He is politically astute and has had time to study and correct his political mistakes and meticulously fine tune his campaign.

Every day his opponents dither, he gets stronger. Each day the window of opportunity for his opponents to beat him continues to get smaller and smaller and at some point will close. His base is loyal and very dedicated to him. The truth is, many of his volunteers will campaign harder than his opponents.

Ben Chin is a powerful political mover and shaker with several high-powered and well-funded progressive political groups behind him. Anyone who brushes off Chin’s political power is making a fatal political mistake. But what Chin desperately needs to cement his legitimacy is a political title such as “Mayor.” This title will make him legitimate in the minds of voters.

Title or no, over the last five-plus years, Chin, with the help of his toady local politicians, has killed or modified to meaningless every piece of General Assistance legislation we have submitted. You, the public, have lost. We, the City of Lewiston, have lost. But we can all take comfort knowing those who sold us out will still be at their legislative seat in Augusta.

Lastly, how did I, Mrs. Macdonald’s little boy Bobby, beat Mr. Chin, who clearly out-campaigned, out- organized and outraised my campaign? The answer is that I am not afraid to go toe to toe with people to support my convictions.

No matter how high the heat becomes in the kitchen, it does not deter me. I am not afraid to be dishonestly raked over the coals by the media or lied about. When this happened, I did not run and hide. I stood up and confronted my accusers and let you, the public, decide who was in the right.

I also had a secret weapon, the late Gene Tardiff, who was my political campaign manager. He was a political powerhouse in his own right; if you wished to win, you sought his support.

Lewiston stands on the verge of being known by a new moniker, The Maine Peoples’ Alliance City. The question is this: Is there anyone with intestinal fortitude willing to step forward and put a stop to it?