In new ad, Poliquin changes birthplace from Waterville to Oakland

In the first ad to air in the 2nd Congressional District race to replace U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud, the spot for former State Treasurer Bruce Poliquin opens with a narrator saying, “He was born and raised here, in Maine….”

In the video below, you will see, just as the narrator says “born and raised here, in Maine,” an image of a sign pops up that says, “Entering Oakland.” Check it out.

As you can see, he is making a clear indication to the viewer that he was born and raised in Oakland, Maine. Obviously, there is no need to show that sign otherwise. The problem is, during his race for governor in 2010 he repeatedly said he was born and raised in Waterville.

Here’s a bio ad he ran during that race dated Aug. 28, 2009. “I was born in Waterville,” he says (.42).

And in an interview on “In and Around Augusta” with Connie Brown he says, “I was born in Waterville. Grew up there.” (3:00)

And in a campaign email dated May 19, 2009 he said: “As a Waterville native…”

You get the point. In one campaign he says he was born and raised in Waterville, Maine. In the next campaign he indicates he was born and raised in Oakland, Maine.

But why? Why would he try to insinuate that he is from one town in one campaign, and then the town next door in the next?

Because Poliquin has a carpetbagger problem.

You see, his gubernatorial hometown of Waterville is not in the congressional district he wants to serve. But Oakland is.

When a politician has a carpetbagger problem, your best answer is to own it and find a way to turn it into a strength. (Angus King always said, “I wanted to be born in Maine, but my mother had other ideas.”) But the one thing you should never do is try to deceive voters. That always, always, comes back to bite you.

Now, I don’t actually have any idea where he was born. Heck, maybe it was Hawaii or Kenya (Birthers and Tea Partiers, look into it). But what I do know is that you should always be honest with the voters.

Posted by Ethan Strimling