The Swift-Boating of Herb?

The Maine Democratic Party still hasn't decided whether or not it will appeal the Secretary of State's decision to allow Independent US senate candidate Herb Hoffman's name to remain on the November ballot, according to spokeswoman Rebecca Pollard.

Reached by phone today, Hoffman -- who says he is "not a single-issue candidate, or even a two-issue candidate" -- expressed his doubt that an appeal would be successful. Hoffman claims that members of the Democratic state committee "do not want my name on the ballot. They percieve me to be a significant candidate with a potentially significant following...i’m very appreciative that they see me that way...My candidacy represents a positive candidacy in the sense that it offers an alternative to voting against one candidate for another." His friends, apparently, liken the Democratic Party's complaint -- which includes charges of forgery on Hoffman's petitions -- to the 2004 swift-boat smears.

Some Democratic party members and supporters of Tom Allen's campaign have been candid about their desire for Hoffman not to run. They cite the potentially close race between Allen and incumbent Republican senator Susan Collins; they're worried that Hoffman will siphon votes away from Allen's liberal base.