FARMINGTON – The Republican State Committee has elected Charlie Webster, a small-business owner here to serve as the chairman for the Maine Republican Party for the next two years.
Webster, 53, is no stranger to the political scene, having served as a state representative from 1980 to 1984 and a state senator from 1984 to 1994. From 1988 to 1992 he was the senate’s minority leader. While he remained active locally to help Republican candidates after 1994, Webster all but retired from political life.
However, he became motivated to re-enter the political arena after his 35th high school class reunion, after having several, politics-themed discussions with some of his former classmates.
“People were angry,” Webster recalled. “I’d say the word would be angry. They said they saw Maine as a welfare state, with people moving here to take advantage of that.”
Speaking with longtime members of the Republican Party about a year ago, Webster said that they saw potential in his ability to connect with working class Mainers and small business owners. Webster owns Webster Heating Company, which sells and repairs oil heating equipment.
He was elected chairman by the Republican State Committee, which consists of 78 votes representing different counties and some organizations, such as the state’s Young Republicans.
Webster said he intended to focus on leading a discussion about which political party best represents the working people of Maine. He says these people are sick of being “regulated and taxed to death.”
“I’m convinced that the working people of this state are not liberal,” he said. “People tend to vote based on campaigns and not issues.”
One area Webster said he would like to see the party improve on his how campaigns are run, noting that “democrats run as republicans and govern as liberals” in Maine. Webster said he sees electing candidates, raising money and delivering a message as the Maine Republican Party’s main tasks coming off of a challenging election cycle.
“I’m passionate about politics,” Webster said. “I’m passionate about where Maine goes from here. We’re going to travel the state and be vigilant about spreading this message.”
Webster will be assisted by his newly-elected vice chairman, Charlie Summers, who most recently ran for the state’s 1st Congressional District’s representative seat.
“It’ll be a challenge,” Webster said.
