See also:

• McCain to focus more on Maine
• National analysts: McCain’s emphasis on Maine won’t impact Senate race

Tony Corrado, a Colby College political science professor, said that Republican Presidential candidate John McCain’s announcement that he is focusing on Maine will likely mean more staff, more advertising and likely a high-profile candidate visit – which would then trigger one from Barack Obama’s campaign.

He said the strategy makes sense as the McCain campaign is targeting New Hampshire.

“First, Maine and New Hampshire have enough overlap that it allows the campaign to hit two targeted states for low-cost advertising,” Corrado said. “Then the ease of a Manchester-Portland-Bangor type day.”

Another benefit of Maine, Corrado said, is that the U.S. Senate race doesn’t weigh down the presidential candidate. Republican Sen. Susan Collins is doing well in her race against U.S. Rep. Tom Allen, which will help McCain, compared to states such as Virginia or North Carolina where the Democratic Senate challengers are doing well, which helps Obama.

However, the emphasis on the economy in the state may hinder McCain, Corrado said. Obama is stronger on middle class tax relief, free trade and health care, which better position him to win the state.

President Bush lost the 2nd district to challenger John Kerry by 20,000 votes in 2004. Corrado, however, said that looking at the 2004 results doesn’t tell much, because this year will have higher turnout.

Amy Fried, a political science professor at the University of Maine, said there are scenarios where McCain winning the one electoral vote in the 2nd Congressional District could mean the state – one of those being if the two candidates won all the states their 2004 predecessors won, with the exception of Obama winning New Mexico, Colorado and Iowa, and McCain winning New Hampshire.

Corrado said it would make sense for the McCain campaign to bring Palin to the district. Fried said she is not convinced, however, that Palin will help in the second district. Palin doesn’t compare to other Republicans who get elected either there or statewide, Fried said.