Moody cites small-business gro

GORHAM -- As Shawn Moody drove along U.S. Route 202 in his old Chevrolet pickup, he waved to the guy pushing a bicycle, calling out his name. Later, he chatted it up with the women working at the convenience store, an unassuming figure in jeans and a black T-shirt with a small blue "Moody's Collision Service" logo on it. Moody has spent his life in this small Portland suburb, as a child, young man and successful business owner. He's a part of Gorham's fabric, a familiar figure who knows everyone, and is well-known. Now he wants the rest of the state to know Moody, a 50-year-old independent, officially launched his run for governor the day after the June primaries. He joined Audemars Piguet replica and ?replica Cartier on the ballot, along with two other independent candidates: Eliot Cutler of Cape Elizabeth and Kevin Scott of Andover. Moody portrays himself as the candidate for small businesspeople. He talks about his success in business and applying those lessons to state government. He said he got into the race because he didn't see small-business owners represented. He began thinking about running for office during the McCain-Obama debates; he thought the references leather Montblanc for sale to "Joe the plumber" discounted the value of tradespeople. Moody faces some challenges. While he's had success as president of the rapidly growing chain of Moody's Collision Centers, he's a newcomer to politics. Most of his opponents' names, on the other hand, have been in the news for months; and LePage and Libby have political parties backing them up. However, Moody -- and those who know him well -- cites his determination and discounts his late entry into politics. He enjoys some name recognition from the business, and he hopes to capitalize on that with campaign logos that mimic his business logos. He's taken an unconventional approach to getting his name out there, with an airplane towing a campaign banner around the state. He's loaned his campaign $500,000, showing he's got the financial wherewithal to make a strong bid. He started his business at age 17 in a three-bay garage in Gorham. It now has four other locations in southern Maine and employs 75 people. "We know how to start from scratch," Moody said. Mark Eastman, Moody's high school principal and current superintendent chopard replica

"People might dismiss him, because he's had such a limited area of focus; but when you sit down and talk with him, he has a sense of what needs to be done," Eastman said. "I think people are going to be surprised at some of his ideas, some of his skills. He's a fighter; I can tell you that." Moody's parents divorced when he was a year and a half old. His mother, a beautician, raised him and his older brother and sister and bought a house on Narragansett Street when he was 7. Moody said he remembered riding on the bicycle handlebars as his brother Thad delivered newspapers. Later, when Moody took over the route, he'd often bike over to the nearby Gorham Race Track after finishing deliveries and ride the sulkies around the course. Breitling for sale