All posts by Rebekah Metzler

Rebekah Metzler

About Rebekah Metzler

Rebekah Metzler is a breaking news editor for CNN's digital politics team in Washington. Previously, she was a senior news editor with U.S. News and World Report, where she began her three-year tenure as a political writer. She spent much of 2012 on the road covering the presidential campaign in battleground states across the country. Metzler proudly tells all who will listen she hails from the great state of Maine where she covered state politics for the Lewiston Sun Journal and MaineToday Media. Metzler earned her master’s degree in journalism from Boston University and her undergraduate degree from Bowdoin College.

Michaud’s VA problem is real, but manageable

Maine gubernatorial candidate Mike Michaud, the top Democrat on a House committee with oversight over the Department of Veterans Affairs, has been in the awkward position of showing allegiance to the Obama administration during the agency’s unfolding scandal and reminding Maine voters of the work he’s done on behalf of veterans. After avoiding taking a […]

Why King’s Collins endorsement kills Bellows bid

By endorsing Republican Sen. Susan Collins, Maine’s independent Sen. Angus King is effectively nailing the coffin shut on the bid by Democratic candidate Shenna Bellows. King, who caucuses with Democrats, will endorse Collins in Skowhegan Friday before the Margaret Chase Smith Library, per The Associated Press. “I think she’s one of the Senate’s MVPs — […]

Why Paul LePage is not Chris Christie

When Maine Gov. Paul LePage was first elected, there’s no doubt his conservative idol was Ronald Reagan. But his political crush was on New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who first took office in January 2010, while LePage was still campaigning ahead of his November election. As luck would have it for LePage, Christie – chairman […]

Shenna Bellows makes the (EMILY’s) list

Though spring weather continues to be a tease, the green shoots of money are springing up for Shenna Bellows. The Democratic challenger to Sen. Susan Collins and former executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Maine just made the cut to receive support from EMILY’s List, a political fundraising powerhouse that supports pro-choice […]

Angus King is toying with Democrats, Republicans

Here’s what we know: Angus King is not going to change his stripes. The 70-year-old Maine independent – former governor, now senator – is who he is: pro-choice, pro-gay rights, pro-Obamacare. He’s also for sensible spending, which you’d be hard-pressed for any politician to disagree with as a concept. But just as he played both […]

Is Susan Collins caving to the “Shenna Effect?”

Deal-maker Sen. Susan Collins re-emerged Wednesday, following a report she is floating a potential compromise deal to raise the federal minimum wage, but not to the $10.10 level advocated by President Barack Obama and other top Democrats. She also sent out a joint press release with Sen. Angus King, the Maine independent who caucuses with […]

Maine’s Susan Collins Avoids Tea Party Challenge

Remember the tea party? It was a force to be reckoned with in Maine. It propelled a little known, poorly funded Waterville mayor from “dark horse” in a wide Republican primary field into the Blaine House in 2010. It churned up national speculation that perhaps Sen. Olympia Snowe, widely viewed as the most moderate Republican […]

Shenna Bellows embraces D.C. cash

Democratic Senate candidate Shenna Bellows, who had a strong initial fundraising effort in her bid to unseat Republican Sen. Susan Collins, is embracing all the resources available to her, most recently touting support from a pair of pro-marijuana political groups. But it’s who is not giving to her that’s got political insider curiosity up. In […]