Bill Cohens 1972 Campaign for Congress: An Oral History of the Walk that Changed Maine Politics

(Hardback)

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1972 was a true watershed in Maine politics. Following a hundred years of Republican dominance, Democrats led by Senator Ed Muskie had achieved a string of victories that threatened to sweep Republicans from the board of congressional and gubernatorial offices. On election day only the win by first time Republican congressional candidate Bill Cohen would stop the Democrat shut out.

Cohen won by determination and perseverance, charisma, and grit, and by his campaign 650-mile walk across Maines expansive second congressional district from Gilead on the New Hampshire border to Ft. Kent on the Canadian border. The Walk, as it became known, was an over-arching feature of that campaign and soon became a staple of the subsequent successful campaigns by congressional, senate, and gubernatorial candidates in the Pine Tree State. On the fiftieth anniversary of a campaign that would change the course of Maine politics and propel Cohen onto the national political stage where he would play prominent roles in the House, Senate, and as secretary of defense, this book captures, in the vivid and often surprising words of the participants, how The Walk came to be.

Reviews

Political scientist Potholm (This Splendid Game) and Rowman & Littlefield CEO Lyons revisit a groundbreaking congressional campaign in this amiable oral history. In 1972, 32-year-old Republican candidate Bill Cohen faced an uphill battle for Maines second congressional district: Democrats controlled all but one of the states major elected political offices, and the Maine Republican Party was viewed as moribund, old, and out-of-touch. To help improve Cohens visibility and showcase his youth, vigor, and blue-collar background, campaign manager Potholm proposed a 650-mile walk across the largely rural district, which stretches from the New Hampshire border to the Canadian border and comprises 80 percent of the states geography. Lyons, then an undergraduate at Bowdoin College, served as one of the campaigns advance men. In digressive conversations with former campaign staffers, Cohen, Potholm, and Lyons discuss the complicated logistics of the walk, which involved spending each night with a different Maine family; share amusing anecdotes about blistered feet, uncooperative horses, and awkward sleeping arrangements; and detail Cohens subsequent legislative accomplishments and the campaigns influence on Maine politics. Niche yet perceptive, this is an illuminating look back at a less polarized political era. * Publishers Weekly *
During the summer of 1972, when I was home from college, I volunteered on Bill Cohen's campaign. During his famous walk in the St. John Valley of Aroostook County, I drove the car that was emblazoned with signs saying "Bill Cohen AheadHonk & Wave." The car also carried water and extra sneakers. Bill returned to Caribou to spend the night at our home. My parents were big supporters. It was an exciting experience. I admired Bill so much. -- Susan Collins, U.S. Senator from Maine
I couldnt put it down! Bill Cohen was a trailblazer. This book covers not just his public side, but also the personal, private, and family side of him, told in his own words. I thought the give and take between the three of them kept it moving and got Bill to be more personal. -- John Baldacci, former governor of Maine
The new book edited by Potholm and Jed Lyons, is an oral history. Though the participants engage in a wide-ranging discussion of both historic and contemporary issues, its North Star is Cohens successful 1972 campaign, the first of several major Maine elections in which a walk was credited with providing the momentum for victory by a prevailing Republican candidate. [The book] is a fascinating perspective and commentary thats an effortless but inspiring read on a compelling array of subjects. * Daily Bulldog *

Author Bio

Christian P. Potholm, professor of political science at Bowdoin College and a leading expert on Maine politics, is the author of This Splendid Game: Maine Campaigns and Elections, 1940-2002. He resides in Harpswell, Maine.

Jed Lyons was one of Bill Cohens advance men during the 1972 walk. He helped organize four counties, including Androscoggin, a Democratic stronghold. Jed worked in Bills Washington office in 1973. In 1975, he cofounded the precursor to Rowman & Littlefield, the publisher of this book. He currently serves as its CEO and president. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Affairs.