Within the small city of Blue Hill, about midway up Maine’s jagged, meandering shoreline — not removed from Hancock, the place Ms. Bellows, the secretary of state, grew up — Richard Boulet hesitated earlier than revealing his opinion of her choice. As director of Blue Hill’s public library, he’s formally “apolitical,” he mentioned; he desires all individuals, together with Mr. Trump’s supporters and his detractors, to make use of the library and really feel welcome there.
“As a private citizen, however, there’s not much doubt in my mind that Donald Trump engaged in insurrection on Jan. 6,” mentioned Mr. Boulet, 51, sitting at his desk upstairs within the brick library. “That is a real source of concern for me.” He cited Ms. Bellows’s former place as director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Maine, and added: “I don’t think she came to this decision lightly. It’s hard for me to see it as a partisan decision.”
Three miles to the north, on the outskirts of city, Donald Bowden, 52, leaned in opposition to a door body outdoors the automotive restore store the place he has labored for 37 years, R.W. Bowden & Sons Storage.
Taking a brief break, his fingers black with grease, Mr. Bowden, who goes by Donny, mentioned he realized the commerce as a teen beneath his father’s steerage; he’s now the president of the corporate. His values, he mentioned, are household first, then work, then relaxation and recreation.
He mentioned he was not political, however he was troubled by Ms. Bellows’s motion.
“It’s insane,” he mentioned. “I think it’s a little unconstitutional, but they’re trying to use the constitution to defend it. It’s painfully obvious that it’s a witch hunt for anyone they don’t like. First and foremost, it’s very childish. If you don’t like someone, what do we do? Hound them and hound them and hound them nationwide. Common sense tells you this is not productive.”
