Stumping in downtown Waterville Thursday, Eliot Cutler clarified comments he made at a press conference Wednesday about voting one’s conscience in the gubernatorial election.

“What I said was, if you feel compelled by your fears or by your conscience to vote for someone else, you should do it,” Cutler said after visiting Berry’s Stationers on Main Street. “If you feel compelled to vote for me, do that. I talked about the reasons why people should vote for me, and I said I’ll be damned if two political parties are going to push me out of this race. Voters deserve a broad choice, and they certainly deserve a choice beyond two lousy choices the parties have given us to work with.”

Cutler said he told people that if they wake up on election day and don’t think he can win, they may vote for someone else, but he is very much in the race and plans to stay there.

“I’m absolutely working hard and I want people’s votes,” he said.

He said the fear that is driving the election on both sides — fear of his opponents Gov. Paul LePage and U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud, D-2nd District — is taking away from what people want and does not represent the democracy the country fought to have.

Amy Calder — 861-9247

acalder@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @AmyCalder17


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