51С»Æ³µ

Brian Duff, Ph.D., associate professor of political science, was quoted in a Sept. 30, 2010 Portland Press Herald story on a recent poll over the controversy of Democratic incumbent Rep. Chellie Pingree's trips on a private jet owned by billionaire Wall Street financier S. Donald Sussman, to whom Pingree said she is engaged. Pingree's personal travel was approved by the House's Ethics Committee, although some questions have been raised by her opponent, Republican Dean Scontrs, as to whether some of the flights were used for campaigning. The poll indicated that even though 70 percent of those polled knew of the controversy, they still favored Pingree 54 percent o 26 percent. "For most people, it's just not going to have an effect on how they vote," said Duff. "People tend to hate Congress, but they tend to like their congressperson." Duff said the image of a member of Congress hobnobbing on a fancy private jet fits in with a cynical stereotype of those in power. "Nonetheless, it would take a lot for Chellie Pingree to really get tripped up on this particular issue," he said. "She's a candidate who's pretty in-step with her district. It's a Democratic district, so as long as the Democrat doesn't screw up really bad, they'll win."