Terry Hayes’ March 24 op-ed, “Our state can’t afford any more divisive partisanship in Augusta,” is rather disingenuous with regard to the independent candidate’s comments on getting “big money” out of Maine’s gubernatorial race.

The Maine Clean Election Fund allows candidates with name recognition, energetic volunteers and little access to personal assets to compete in the election process. However, to suggest that “big money” can influence the outcome of the election ignores Maine’s election laws, which say independent gubernatorial candidates not participating in the June primaries are limited to a total of $1,600 per individual donor, and candidates in both the primaries and the November election are limited to $3,200 per individual donor. These $1,600 or $3,200 limits also apply to unions, corporations and political action committees.

Ms. Hayes would be better off concentrating on the issues and not raising the straw man of “big money.”

Larry Kaplan

Cape Elizabeth