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But not in Maine. The campaign committee has been reluctant to rally behind Cynthia Dill, a state senator from suburban Portland who built a legal career fighting gender discrimination. She is facing fellow Democrat Matthew Dunlap, a former secretary of state, among others, in a June primary. Ultimately, she hopes to defeat King in the general election and keep Snowe's seat in female hands, as it has been since 1995. "This election is about values and choices. And in my view it's critically important to have more women at the table making decisions," Dill said. Dill's identity as a mother and outspoken advocate for women in the state legislature has come to define her candidacy. But there is very little practical difference between the woman-related policies Dill would support versus those of King. They have the same positions on abortion, access to contraception and Planned Parenthood. The differences, Dill says, are more personal. "He and I live very different lives," she said. "I have right now, two kids in high school, that I get up for in the morning and make their breakfast and make their lunch and do their grocery shopping. And I gave birth to them." Many agree that women are best suited to defending women's rights on Capitol Hill. But that's not enough to convince the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee to support Dill. The committee does not plan to take a position on the race until after the Democratic primary, according to spokesman Shripal Shah. With control of the Senate at stake, the prospect of winning a seat held by Republicans for nearly two decades appears to be superseding the desire to keep the seat in female hands. King refuses to say whether he'll side with Democrats or Republicans if elected, but his policies are largely in line with Democrats, who hold a 51-47 majority in the Senate plus two independents who caucus with Democrats. The Republican candidates include Secretary of State Charles Summers and state Treasurer Bruce Poliquin. Dill is struggling to raise money. She collected roughly $25,000 in the first fundraising quarter. And she is still largely unknown among many Democrats statewide.
[Associated
Press;
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