Mitchell Campaign Stops Running False Education Ad

WABI in Bangor Reports Ad is Off the Air

Waterville, Maine -- Maine Candidate for Governor Paul LePage applauded today’s news that the Mitchell Campaign has pulled its false education attack ad off the Maine airwaves.

Yesterday, LePage supporters hosted a press conference in Augusta promoting the candidate’s strong support for education as Mayor of Waterville and his plans to put students and taxpayers ahead of the education unions.  Senator Carol Weston, who serves on the Legislature’s Education Committee, contrasted LePage’s plans to put students first with Libby Mitchell’s record of support for the education unions.

In its ad, Senator Mitchell’s campaign cited an August 18, 2010 interview with Paul LePage on Maine Web News as a source for its taxpayer-financed attack.   Speaking at the press conference yesterday the publisher of Maine Web News, Jarrod LeBlanc, set the record straight.

“That is a complete mischaracterization and distortion of Paul LePage’s and my conversation,” said LeBlanc referring to the interview cited by Mitchell’s attack ad.  “Paul LePage never said he would cut even a single penny from students and schools.  He never said it.”

WABI of Bangor is reporting today that the Mitchell campaign has stopped running the ad.

“I have lived a Maine education success story,” said Waterville Mayor Paul LePage.  “I have gone from the streets of Lewiston as a child to creating jobs in one of Maine’s largest companies because of the education I received in Maine schools.”

“I am pleased that Senator Mitchell has pulled her false attack ads from the air,” added LePage.  “Students need to come first.  That is my approach, and I urge anyone who may have been misinformed by Senator Mitchell’s false attacks to visit my website to see how I plan to advance education in Maine.

Read more at Paul LePage for Governor