The Amazing Kreskin won’t be making any predictions about Maine’s U.S. Senate race.
He does have a favorite candidate, though.
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Kreskin, a famous mentalist who has performed around the world reading people’s thoughts, has endorsed Steve Woods, the Yarmouth Town Council chairman and one of four independent candidates on the Nov. 6 ballot.
“I fervently and with much conviction endorse and support Steve Woods to be an independent member of the United States Senate,” Kreskin said in a statement released by his publicist Thursday.
Unfortunately for Woods, Kreskin’s endorsement didn’t include a prediction that the long-shot candidate will win.
“You’re not going to get me involved in that,” Kreskin said in an interview from his home in New Jersey.
The Kreskin-Woods connection goes back to 1978, when Woods was 18 and booked Kreskin for a Las Vegas convention. It turned out that Kreskin needed a road manager, and Woods was willing.
“For three years, I traveled all over Europe and all over the country. I went to Johnny Carson shows with Kreskin and did 900 shows,” Woods said. “Not many 18-year-olds get to see the whole world, and from the vantage point of traveling with a world-famous entertainer.”
It was the start of Woods’ career in the event and entertainment business.
Kreskin, who’s now 77, remembers Woods for his ability to handle all the responsibilities and logistics of touring, even as a teenager.
The two reconnected a few months ago, and Woods met with Kreskin when the performer came to Maine this month to perform in Ogunquit and Boothbay. Woods mentioned that he was running for the Senate as an independent.
Kreskin decided he would make his first political endorsement.
“In a way, (Woods) is reflecting some of the Founding Fathers,” said Kreskin, who lost faith in politicians soon after the days of Franklin Roosevelt and Harry Truman.
“I refuse to become involved in politics, because I have much greater respect for organized crime,” he said. “I despise crime, but at least with organized crime you know where you stand.”
The independent candidate who many other people predict will win in November, former Gov. Angus King, got his own celebrity endorsement Thursday. In an interview with Politico, Jesse “The Body” Ventura said he hopes King will win.
The King-Ventura connection goes back to the 1990s, when the former professional wrestler became governor of Minnesota. He and King were the only independent governors in the country and, despite seeming to have nothing else in common, became friends.
“When Gov. King makes it to the Senate — and I sure hope he does — in Maine, we’ll have one honest voice out there,” Ventura said.
Maine has two independent Senate candidates in addition to King and Woods: Andrew Ian Dodge of Harpswell and Danny Dalton of Brunswick.
On Tuesday, Republicans nominated Secretary of State Charlie Summers and Democrats nominated state Sen. Cynthia Dill.
Staff Writer John Richardson can be contacted at 791-6324 or at:
jrichardson@pressherald.com
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