Tom Allen’s campaign has been in full swing for months. Susan Collins’ campaign, however, is just starting to move into their Portland office.

Both campaigns are making progress this month in getting their office spaces together and hiring staff.

Steve Abbott, who works part-time as Collins’ chief of staff and part-time as her campaign manager, said the delay in getting the campaign started is deliberate.

“Sen. Collins’ philosophy is that campaigns are too long,” Abbott said. “There’s no reason to be campaigning more than a year before an election.”

Instead – despite the interest groups knocking on her door – she would focus on her work in the Senate.

“The decision has proven to be a good one,” Abbott said.

The pieces are coming together, though. On Wednesday, the only thing that defined the campaign’s office off Forest Avenue was a line of campaign signs by the door. Inside, furniture is scarce, the white walls are daunting and empty office after empty office makes the otherwise simple lay out seem like a maze. Abbott’s office is the exception.

The campaign is actively hiring staff. Currently they have three full-time and four part-time people. He said a full staff of about 12 should be in place by March, with the campaign in full swing over the summer.

“In the summer she’ll look like a candidate,” Abbott said.

Allen’s staff count is up to around 16. Communications director Carol Andrews released his leadership team, which can be viewed here.

Among them is Campaign Manager Valerie Martin, whose fundraising background includes raising $4.6 million for Pennsylvania Rep. Allyson Schwartz in 2004. Internet Director Mike Nutter was a former intern for Allen, and then was hired as Technology and Outreach Coordinator in his congressional office.

Andrews is a former journalist, who has spent 20 years in strategic communications for political, corporate and non-profit interests.

Allen’s campaign got new digs in December. Prior to then they were working out of a smaller office in the same Forest Avenue building in Portland, but had outgrown it.

The two campaign offices are just blocks from each other.