Charlie!! Charlie!!

Former state legislator Charlie Webster was chosen today to serve as the Chairman of the Maine Republican Party – his tenure will last two years.

Webster was actually an elected Democrat at one time – notching a post to the Maine Legislature in 1980.  Thta did not last, however, and he would later switch parties, eventually rising to become the Republican minority leader in the House.  He also ran for Governor in 1994, receiving only a fraction of the vote in the GOP primary won by Susan Collins.

Joining Webster will be new Vice-Chairman Charlie Summers of Scarborough.  Summers was the unsuccessful GOP candidate for Congress in the first district in 2008, losing to now Congresswoman Chellie Pingree.

Both men are pledging to renew energy, optimism and direction to a shell shocked state Republican Party.  Time will tell if they can deliver on that promise.