I have regularly read and enjoyed Edgar Allen Beem’s columns. He is an excellent writer who usually captures well the essence of Maine. That’s why I was so surprised and disappointed by his wild prediction that a newcomer candidate with little, if any, public service experience would become Maine’s next governor.

In doing so, Beem quickly dismissed some excellent candidates with superior experience and qualities, including the path-breaking Senate President Libby Mitchell and the moderate and intelligent Sen. Peter Mills. He inappropriately referred to them and to my personal favorite, the stellar Steve Rowe, as “hopeless hopefuls” and “old warhorses.” He even blithely asserted that Steve’s political career is over. Let’s hope not.

If we are fortunate, Steve Rowe will be Maine’s next governor. We deserve someone of Steve’s caliber at this challenging time.

Those of us enthusiastically supporting Steve do so in part because he is a strong leader with good, progressive values and an excellent record of accomplishments. But most of all, we back Steve because of the quality person he is: an honest and tireless champion of the underdog, who possesses rare courage, integrity and ability. We are drawn to Steve’s solid character and the way he makes us feel when we work successfully alongside him. Steve Rowe embodies all that is good about strong and successful Maine public servants: he runs and will win because he wants to accomplish something and not merely because he wants to be somebody.

Bill Norbert
Portland

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