Independent candidate Eliot Cutler is today calling on key legislators to enact charter schools in the state of Maine.

Cutler has sent emails to Senator Bill Diamond and Representative Emily Cain (the chairs of the legislature’s Appropriations Committee), pressing them to act quickly to bring the question of charter schools back up to the Maine Senate.

A previous attempt to enact charter schools died earlier this year, with the MEA aggressively lobbying against the proposal.

Cutler (correctly) asserts that Maine is missing out on federal funds that could provide some new money for Maine’s education system.  Specifically at issue is the “Race to the Top” program, which is a Federal effort to bring more schools up to par with national educational standards. The program rewards states that have expanded curricula offered in charter schools, states that turn around low-performing schools with innovative programs, and schools that tie teacher and principal salary increases to student test scores.  Maine does not currently meet the criteria, and is one of only 10 states in the nation to not allow charter schools.

Cutler’s push for charter schools here is a clear signal that he is attempting to spend these early days of the race defining himself as a balanced pragmatism, rather than wait to be defined later, once the general election begins.

Cutler is a former aide to Democratic Senator Ed Muskie, and a former official in the Carter administration.  He has also played a significant role in the environmentalist movement, and if he doesn’t do some heavy lifting now it will be very easy for him to be painted as “just another Democrat”, wedging him on the left, and relegating him to a spoiler for the Democratic nominee.

Cutler is making noise now about charter schools – a favorite policy of the right, and something opposed by leftist ally groups like the MEA – and I fully expect in the coming months to hear more about his support for other center to center-right policy proposals.

Right now, the name of Eliot Cutler is a blank slate to most Maine voters.  Because of this, if he gets some attention for pushing these issues, he will have a good base in the consciousness of the voter that can supplement his left leaning history and reputation with a much more balanced “the best of both worlds” image.  Obviously he will then attempt to use that to wedge the center against both the right and the left, and capture enough of the electorate to be a serious threat to win the Blaine House.

Look for more of this in the future.

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