Trackers have become the paparazzi of Maine politics.
Generally hired by political parties, they follow and put cameras into the faces of opposing candidates in the hope of capturing (or sometimes provoking) so-called “gotcha” moments. Statewide candidates, like Paul LePage, are obvious targets for trackers, but this is even taking place now in local legislative races.
As Mike Shepherd recently noted in the Bangor Daily News “Daily Brief,” state Senate candidate Eric Brakey was followed by a Democrat Party tracker during the recent Balloon Festival parade, as he handed out American flags to children.
I personally witnessed this tracker Aug. 20. He arrived before the parade, filming every volunteer who came out to march with local Republican candidates as we prepared our float. Once the parade began, he zeroed in on former Sen. Brakey, following him like a hawk from beginning to end.
To Brakey’s credit (demonstrating more patience than most), he took it with a good sense of humor. Joking on Facebook, Brakey says he would like the tracker to “send me his footage because video of me handing out American flags to children would be wonderful content for social media.”
Personally, I think it’s sad that “gotcha” politics are eclipsing the issues in our elections. With rampant inflation and crippling workforce shortages hitting Maine families and businesses, we have real problems to solve.
Bruce and Louise Geoffroy, Auburn
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