Maine Story updates, Dec. 9 edition

A few developments in stories I've been following:

LePage and Private Prisons: Last week I reported on the fifty corporations that provided the big money behind Maine governor-elect Paul LePage's candidacy via the Republican Governor's Association's Maine PAC. One of the firms I highlighted -- the Corrections Corporation of America -- already looks to be seeing a return on its ($25,000) investment. Mr. LePage just announced he's in talks to help CCA build and operate a private prison in Milo, Maine. (Pity the Bangor Daily News didn't mention CCA's donation in either this or a previous story; nor did MPBN in their piece.) Perhaps the governor-elect's team might want to read up on the company. [Update, 12/28/10: The Portland Phoenix picks up on this story.]

Maine rail wins, thanks to new governors elsewhere: Mr. LePage isn't currently in a position to derail the expansion of passenger rail service in Maine, but in Ohio and Wisconsin incoming Republican governors have scuttled projects. As a result, Maine will get an additional $3.3 million in federal resources, fully funding upgrades that allow the Amtrak Downeaster to extend service from Portland to Freeport and Brunswick (and getting it halfway to Lewiston.) For more context on Maine passenger rail service, see my piece in the October issue of Down East.

Snowe's Tea Party challenger? Last week I wrote about the coming Tea Party civil war in Newsweek.com. Today, Pine Tree Politics claims the main figure in the piece, Maine Tea Party Patriots coordinator Andrew Ian Dodge, is planning to challenge Sen. Olympia Snowe in her 2012 party primary. PTP quotes only anonymous sources, but the Roll Call article they link to does seem to strengthen their allegation. Dodge hasn't confirmed or denied the report.