LEWISTON — In a wholly unscientific but decidedly sweet sampling of voter preference, Republican Gov. Paul LePage was leading in a dough-slide Tuesday afternoon.

LePage’s likeness, or at least his photo baked on top of a sugar cookie, was the favorite for patrons of Grant’s Bakery on Sabattus Street in the bakery’s Election Day cookie poll.  

Co-owner Doug Grant said the LePage cookie was outselling those featuring Democratic challenger Mike Michaud and independent candidate Eliot Cutler by a wide margin.

By about 3 p.m., the bakery had sold 150 LePage cookies, 91 featuring Michaud and 12 with Cutler’s photo.

Grant said there was no clear explanation for LePage’s runaway lead, but the last candidate to win Grant’s cookie poll was Mitt Romney, the Republican candidate for president, who lost to Democrat candidate Barack Obama in 2012. 

“Is this reflective of this being his hometown or is it going to be reflective of the actual vote?” the baker asked. “I guess we will all know in a few hours.”

Grant offered a good laugh but no guess when asked which of the three candidates he thought could eat the most cookies.

But he did offer one customer a half-price discount on six cookies featuring Cutler — which he said were at least a day old. Another customer quipped that was probably just the way the cookie crumbles.

sthistle@sunjournal.com