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By Steve Rowe

We need more jobs in Maine — good-paying, sustainable jobs. Innovate Maine is my action plan for a vibrant economy. It’s a plan that recognizes challenges and capitalizes on strengths. It’s about doing things smarter, better and more creatively.

Many of my friends are supporting Steve Rowe because of his victories over the Bush administration while he was attorney general. Others support him because of his defense of Mainers’ traditional rights and values during that same tenure. And many of my colleagues and fellow young people are supporting him because of his noble and successful battles with the pharmaceutical companies to lower prescription drug costs while speaker of the House.

Hear from each of the four candidates vying for the Democratic Party's nomination ahead of the June 8 primary election as they participate in this debate recorded live in the MPBN Lewiston studio. Click here to see the debate.

Steve Rowe's inspiring work as Maine attorney general has demonstrated his willingness to carry the fight against polluters to the Supreme Court.

I am a Vietnam veteran and retired businessman who supports Steve Rowe for governor.

I will be voting for a West Point graduate and a proven leader who will stand up for our veterans and active duty personnel. Steve Rowe will be a strong advocate in more than words alone. He, too, is a proud veteran.

I am writing in support of Steve Rowe for governor. I had the honor of meeting Steve and getting to know him personally when he served in the Legislature with my mother, the late Rep. Martha A. Bagley.

I think the BDN’s editorial, “4 Democrats, Few Choices” (May 22-23) sold candidate Steve Rowe short. It suggested that if he became governor his focus would be on early childhood development and that this is not broad enough.

During the past six months of primary scrambling, I have wished more than once that there were not so many candidates vying for my attention. I finally did my homework and checked into their records, not just the generic messages of campaign fliers and sound bites.

Im supporting Steve Rowe for governor. He is the only gubernatorial candidate with a broad mix of high - level governmental and business leadershio experience. As speaker of the Maine house and Maine attorney general, he defended the rights of all families to have affordable health care, a clean environment and freedom from domestic violence. He kept well-paying jobs in Maine.

It has been said that the difference between a politician and a statesman is that a politician only looks to the next election, while a statesman looks to the next generation. By this measure, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Steve Rowe has proven to be a true statesman in a field of politicians.

The primary election is June 8. Independents, awaken! There is a huge percentage of us “unenrolled” voters in Maine; voters not registered as either Democrats or Republicans. This election year, I would encourage unenrolled voters to engage in this election sooner, not later. If independents sit back and wait to see what the primaries produce, come November we may find ourselves without the choices we were hoping for.

I’m writing this letter in support of Steve Rowe for governor. In the recent Bangor Daily News profile of Steve, the main criticism of him was that some think he comes across as “overly serious” (“Former AG promises hard work over style,” May 6).

PORTLAND, MAINE - "Veterans for Rowe" will hold a press conference to emphasize why Steve Rowe is the best gubernatorial candidate for veterans.  Veterans for Rowe is a group of veterans spanning every war from World War II to Iraq.

I will be voting for Steve Rowe for governor because:

• Maine needs a leader with his unique blend of experience — West Point graduate, Army commander, corporate attorney, speaker of the Maine House of Representatives, and attorney general.

I am writing this letter in support of Steve Rowe for governor. His honesty, sincerity and commitment to Maine's children and their families, Maine's economy and our precious environment equals the kind of leadership Maine needs now, more than ever.

I believe Steve is the best qualified candidate among a very good field of Democratic candidates first and foremost because Steve is a leader. He has proven this throughout his working career, first as a West Point graduate and Army officer in the service of his country, then as a legislator and Attorney General, earning the respect of people of both parties along the way.

As a person who has been involved in education policy for more than 20 years, I have come to understand the many facets of pre-K to 12, adult education and higher education.

I am pleased to support Steve Rowe for governor.

I have been a public prosecutor for 25 years. I have dealt with many different politicians during this time, and not one of them has impressed me like Steven Rowe.

As the race for the Blaine House heats up, we hear many sound bites regarding the state of our economy, taxes, education, infrastructure and our budget. The one issue that seems to resonate with only one candidate is elder abuse, and that one candidate is Steven Rowe.

Steve Rowe has already distinguished himself by his education and his extensive record of service to the citizens of Maine.

I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know Steve Rowe during the past year. I am impressed by his integrity, intelligence and compassion. He clearly has a passion for Maine’s economic future and for a quality education for all children.

Being a farmer, I understand the value of hard work. I also know family farms are critical to Maine’s economy and that many are in trouble. Our next governor must address the challenges facing farmers. That’s why I’m supporting Steve Rowe for governor.

I am writing to support Steve Rowe as the candidate for governor in the statewide Democratic Primary this June 8.

Of all the candidates running, Rowe is the one most focused on the future of Maine because of his concern for our young people's health and education.

The purpose of government is to "insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defence, (and) promote the general welfare." That should include a vision for education, business, health and the military.

The former attorney general and House speaker says he learned leadership in the military.

He started as a farm boy in an Oklahoma town of maybe 400 people and wound up being Maine's top law enforcement official.

I encourage my fellow residents to vote for Steve Rowe. Steve’s integrity, his love for Maine and his strong work ethic are qualities that will serve us well in Augusta. Steve is one of those rare individuals who would emulate Abraham Lincoln by traveling 10 miles out of his way to return a few cents to someone who is entitled to the money. Steve will work tirelessly for the people of Maine, particularly on economic issues and job creation.

I served on the Legislature's Appropriations Committee when he was Speaker of the House. I watched him consistently take on some of the toughest fights and win for Maine people.

As an observer of recent debates and advertising supporting gubernatorial candidates, I can’t help but be impressed with their willingness to commit time and energy to public service. It says a lot for Maine that we can field such a strong set of candidates.

I support Steve Rowe for governor because he is a person of integrity and a strong leader.

Steve Rowe talks a lot about education, preventive health care and renewable energy. But, he said, all of those things add up to the first thing on the minds of many Maine voters: jobs.

AUGUSTA, Maine — As an 18-year-old cadet at the U.S. Military Academy, Steve Rowe quickly realized that the education he received at his small high school in rural Oklahoma — while solid on the fundamentals — wasn’t going to be enough for West Point.

I support Steve Rowe's candidacy as the Democratic nominee for governor. I have known Steve since we were in law school more than 20 years ago.

How fortunate we are to have a person of Steven Rowe’s caliber running as a candidate for governor in the Democratic primary. His broad experience as a legislator and Maine attorney general, combined with his early years in the military (graduated from West Point and served as an Army Reserve officer in Maine) and man-agement positions in finance and marketing in Maine’s private sector, have helped prepare him for the job.

He's a former Maine attorney general and speaker of the Maine House of Representatives. And Steve Rowe was the first candidate of any party to announce his run for governor. Tonight, in the latest of our series of profiles of gubernatorial candidates, Irwin Gratz reports that Rowe is a mainstream Democrat who prides himself on solving tough problems through strong leadership.

Two of the key concepts that crop up in a conversation with Maine Democratic gubernatorial candidate Steve Rowe are "upstream" and "long-term."

It makes no sense, he said, to keep throwing money at a problem and expect the money will create a solution. Instead, he said, "go upstream."

Steve Rowe has talked to college students throughout his campaign. When he asks them what they need to stay in Maine after graduation, they usually give similar answers.

PORTLAND, Maine - A crowd rallied in front of the Cumberland County Courthouse to protest Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield's law suit against the state of Maine. 

The Democrats say the ex-state attorney general has the best record on many issues.

I recently read an article on a study by Mathmatica Policy Research noting that youth-training programs have limited success in boosting long-term employment or wages (TIME magazine, Jan. 18, 2010).  In a 2006 study of a program meant to help teenagers complete high school and enter post-secondary education, they found teens enrolled in the program did not have a comparatively better chance of finding a job or receiving high earnings.

(NEWS CENTER) -- Democrat Steve Rowe has spent a good deal of time at the State House, as a legislator, Speaker of The House and Attorney General. Now he is hoping to get the top job there.

Rowe, a West Point and U-Maine Law School graduate, talks about his campaign for governor In The Arena.

(NEWS CENTER) -- Democrat Steve Rowe has spent a good deal of time at the State House, as a legislator, Speaker of The House and Attorney General. Now he is hoping to get the top job there.

Rowe, a West Point and U-Maine Law School graduate, talks about his campaign for governor In The Arena.

Steve Rowe has a varied, articulate, humble and educated background. His upbringing was very much like an average, middle-class Maine working family.

Recently, Brunswick Democrats held their annual caucus and heard from candidates for state and congressional offices.

I would like to commend Peter Kent, the caucus convener, for running a smooth meeting, and I congratulate Greg Howard, who was elected the caucus chairman.

I attended in support of Steve Rowe, candidate for governor.

It’s time to start talking about which of the 23 candidates for governor will effect positive change for Maine’s future. I am putting my diminishing, hard-earned money toward Steve Rowe.

I support Steve Rowe for governor. Rowe impresses me as the most qualified at this point for Maine’s people and economy.

Rowe has vision and experience to transform our economy. He is the only candidate with experience at all levels of our economy and government.

At the AGC of Maine debate candidates were asked if they supported “mandatory background checks on the purchase of a firearm.”  Only three candidates answered yes: Eliot Cutler, Bruce Poliquin, and Rosa Scarcelli.  After the debate Scarcelli issued a challenge to her Demoratic opponents, saying she was surprised that none of her fellow Democrats agreed.

BANGOR, Maine — The race to be Maine governor came to Bangor Tuesday with Democrat G. Steven Rowe opening his first campaign office and Republican Peter Mills gathering with supporters at a downtown pub.

Steven Rowe has rejected some of the governor’s spending reductions, proposing instead to increase the tobacco tax. Without mentioning him by name, Rowe has criticized the Baldacci Administration, proving to Democrats that he would be a very different governor.

 Democratic gubernatorial candidate Steve Rowe just put out a statement saying he supports raising the cigarette tax rather than cutting services for the elderly and families.

Today, Democratic Gubernatorial Candidate Steve Rowe announced his opposition to proposed budget cuts to Maine seniors and families and called for a tobacco tax increase.

The recent year-end finance reports show that Steven Rowe leads in breadth and depth among Maine’s candidates for governor. Steve is virtually tied for first place in total Democratic funds raised and has, by far, the highest number of individual donors among Democrats. I’d like people to know.

Times are tough. It's clearer than ever that Maine needs our next governor to be a different kind of leader — someone with a record of bringing people together to take on our toughest problems.

And it's clearer than ever that Maine needs Steven Rowe to be our next governor.

Please join us in bringing a new kind of leadership to Augusta and moving Maine in a direction that provides prosperity to ALL Mainers.

What is the status of this campaign?  We are taking off!

Maine Republicans and Democrats alike reacted to the surprising results of the U.S. Senate election in Massachusetts, where state Senator Scott Brown upset Attorney General Martha Coakley to win the seat once held by Ted Kennedy.

Candidates from across the political spectrum – Democrats, Republicans and independents – reacted to the results.

But we have a lot of work ahead of us, to make sure we all continue to rise together: black or white, straight or gay, native or immigrant.

That’s why I’m supporting Steve Rowe as Maine’s next governor.

With all due respect to William K. McKinley, who in a recent opinion piece put his favorite candidate at the head of the pack in the Democratic gubernatorial race ("Columnist's evaluation unfair to one candidate," Dec. 16), I must point out that Steve Rowe is by any measure the frontrunner, and the candidate who is best qualified for the job.

Saturday, the Navy Midshipmen beat the Army Black Knights 17-3 to notch their eighth straight win in the annual Army-Navy game.

This year some gubernatorial fun was had between candidates Steve Rowe and Matt Jacobson, who made a friendly wager on the outcome of the game.  Rowe is a West Point grad, and Jacobson attended the Naval Academy – who they bet on is obvious.

As the gubernatorial race continues, candidates are beginning to receive endorsements.  Last week Bruce Poliquin secured several endorsements.  Rosa Scarcelli and Steve Rowe had garnered support as well.  Today it has been reported that Rowe has grabbed a few more pledges of support from Maine’s legislature.  How many have backed Rowe for governor?

ARMINGTON — The Franklin County Democrats will meet at 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 22, at the University of Maine at Farmington Student Center to talk with gubernatorial candidate Steve Rowe, Maine's attorney general from 2001 to 2009.

Broken Trust is an MPBN special hosted by Jennifer Rooks, which looks at the prevalence of elder abuse in Maine. What is being done about it? Why is this issue so under reported?

Experts estimate that there are 12,000 victims of elder abuse in Maine each year – but the vast majority of cases are never investigated.   

“It's just starting to become apparent to us what is happening,” says former Maine Attorney General Steve Rowe.  “We're seeing that this is really an epidemic.”

Happy Veterans Day, everyone.  Pine Tree Politics would like to take a few moments to specifically thank Matt Jacobson, Peter Mills, and Steve Rowe for their service to our country.

Roughly 300 protesters marched down Congress Street in Portland on Friday night in reaction to the repeal on Tuesday of the state's legalization of gay-marriage.

Cheering, chanting and waving homemade signs, the crowd marched to the banging of drums from Congress Square to the steps of City Hall where speakers such as Maine's former Attorney General and gubernatorial candidate for 2010 Steve Rowe spoke words of encouragement through a megaphone.

Maine could become the first state to endorse gay marriage by popular referendum Tuesday, as voters head to the polls to decide whether to repeal a recently-passed law legalizing unions between people of the same gender. 

One year after California's Proposition 8 struck down gay marriage in the largest state in the Union, this sparsely populated New England state has become the latest battleground in the debate over the definition of marriage, offering supporters of same-sex marriage the chance for a political breakthrough and giving opponents an opening to thwart gay rights advances in the heart of the deep-blue Northeast. 

The controversial issues surrounding water extraction contracts between multinational corporations and public and municipal districts that protect this critical natural resource are creating deep divisions among Maine's citizens. The 1,000-pound monster that always sits in the room during these debates is rarely noticed or even discussed. I suspect this is because few people understand exactly what this monster is and what threat it poses to our American structure of governance.

I have regularly read and enjoyed Edgar Allen Beem's columns. He is an excellent writer who usually captures well the essence of Maine. That's why I was so surprised and disappointed by his wild prediction that a newcomer candidate with little, if any, public service experience would become Maine's next governor.

Gubernatorial candidate Steven Rowe received an endorsement today from the Downeast Pride Alliance. The Downeast Pride Alliance strives to promote LGBT businesses and create a network of LGBT professionals.

On June 9, Steve Rowe announced that he is running for governor in 2010.  I’m supporting Steve because he combines leadership, vision and policy expertise. His experience in the public and private sectors will make him a great governor.  As a former Army officer, a manager and lawyer for several Maine companies, and former House speaker and attorney general, Steve Rowe has what it takes to lead.

On June 9, Steve Rowe announced that he is running for governor in 2010. I'm supporting Steve because he combines leadership, vision and policy expertise. His experience in the public and private sectors will make him a great governor.

Rowe, like the other candidates, has embraced the need for social networking. Frankly, any candidate who does will never get elected. Rowe tweets, facebooks, and blogs. There isn't much to look at yet. Rowe's twitter and facebook basically direct you to his blog, well welcome message really. It's early still though, so I'll let it slide. It doesn't make my job easy though Mr. Rowe.

Steve Rowe took the first step toward a run for Maine Governor by officially filing paperwork as a Democratic nominee with the Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices on Tuesday, June 9th. Rowe took the legally required step of registering as a candidate for the office of Governor in order to prepare and launch a campaign. A formal announcement and kick-off will be held at a later date.

Former Maine Attorney General Steve Rowe took the first step toward a run for Governor by officially filing paperwork as a Democratic nominee with the Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices today..

Steve Rowe took the first legally required step toward registering as a candidate for Maine Governor. Steve filed paperwork as a Democratic nominee with the Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices on Tuesday, June 9. A formal announcement will be made at a later date.

Former Attorney General Steve Rowe has become the first Democrat to announce his run for governor. Rowe officially filed paperwork to run for governor on Tuesday morning.

Welcome to the Rowe for Governor Campaign! I am now officially a candidate for the Democratic nomination for Governor of Maine. Im excited about this campaign, and hope youre going to be a part of it. The only way were going to win is with your support.

AUGUSTA, Maine — Attorney General G. Steven Rowe has been Maine’s top lawyer for nearly eight years, and he has his sights set on being Maine’s next governor. But right now he is pondering what he will do for work next month.

Thanks for the article on Maine Attorney General Steven Rowe ("Rowe wears priorities -- and Blaine House ambition -- on his sleeve," March 16). I regard him as the exemplary public servant: intelligent, diligent, utterly honest and possessed of a splendid sense of humor.

A federal appeals court ruled Friday that the Bush administration ignored the law by not imposing stricter limits on mercury pollution from power plants. The ruling was cheered in Maine and 16 other states that filed the lawsuit, which argued that the mercury is poisoning wildlife and threatening human health. "This ruling represents a significant victory for both the health of Maine people and our natural environment," Maine Attorney General Steve Rowe said in a written statement. "Once again, the courts have rejected a Bush administration attempt to put the profits of corporate polluters above the health of the American people."

MaineAttorney General Steve Rowe, along with 13 other Attorneys General moved to join two legal actions filed this morning by the State of California to force the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to take action on Californias request for approval to regulategreenhouse gas pollution from automobiles sold in the state. Maine has adopted Californias regulations to combat global warming.

The U.S. Supreme Court dealt a blow to drugmakers Monday by clearing the way for Maine to begin an innovative program that is designed to lower the price of prescription drugs for the uninsured. Voting 6-3, the justices ruled that a lower court shouldn't have kept the state from launching the Maine Rx Program. Maine Rx essentially will use Medicaid, the federal health program for the poor, to force drugmakers to lower the costs of prescription drugs for uninsured residents, regardless of their income.

A divided Supreme Court cleared a major obstacle Monday to state programs that would make prescription drugs cheaper for people without insurance, ruling that Maine officials could proceed with a novel effort to help residents buy needed drugs.

But Maine Attorney General G. Steven Rowe said, "If the Bush administration is successful in its efforts to significantly weaken the Clean Air Act, the people of Maine will be the biggest losers." "It is unconscionable that the Bush administration would put the financial interests of corporate polluters above the health interests of the American people," Rowe said. "Through Senators [Edmund] Muskie and [George] Mitchell, the state of Maine led the enactment and re-enactment of the federal Clean Air Act. The Act benefits Maine people most because we are located at the end of our nation's air pollution tailpipe."

The Environmental Protection Agency formally issued major changes to clean air rules for utilities, refineries and manufacturers Tuesday, prompting a court challenge hours later from a coalition of New England and mid-Atlantic states. "The Bush administration has taken an action that will bring more acid rain, more smog, more asthma and more respiratory disease to millions of Americans," said Eliot Spitzer, New York's attorney general.