Bobby Charles is having another bad week in the gubernatorial race, a trend we suspect will continue through November knowing his record and how he’s run his campaign thus far. Speaking of records, Rick Bennett is doubling down on his Republican past, telling Phil Hirschkorn that he doesn’t have “any regrets about it.” More on Charles, Bennett, and what you need to know from this week below:
BOBBY CHARLES’ LONG HISTORY OF LOBBYING IN DC SERIOUSLY UNDERMINES HIS ELECTION-YEAR ANTI-CORRUPTION MESSAGE
Bobby Charles has spent his campaign railing against government waste, fraud and corruption. But new reporting from Maine Beacon makes clear that’s simple election-year rhetoric. Charles spent years lobbying for companies accused of the very practices he now says he wants to crack down on.
During Charles’ decade-plus career in Washington, his lobbying firm collected at least $512,000 from clients that have been accused of defrauding or overbilling taxpayers, benefited from lucrative no-bid government contracts, bribed public officials, or even engaged in illegal campaign contributions.
But this isn’t just a DC, old news story. Charles’ firm was still lobbying in 2026, after Charles had already launched his campaign for governor.
RICK BENNETT: NO REGRETS, JUST A PROUD REPUBLICAN
In a sit down interview with News Center Maine’s Phil Hirschkorn, Rick Bennett said he doesn’t regret his tenure as Chairman of the Maine GOP under Paul LePage or his support of Donald Trump. While defending his Republican record, Bennett added “And as a person who had always been a Republican…”
Bennett voted for Donald Trump and was a Trump elector in 2016. He also worked side by side with LePage to push his agenda and help keep him in power. As Maine Democratic Party spokesperson Lauryn Fanguen said:
“Rick Bennett is proud of his Republican track record, which includes his previous support of Donald Trump and Paul LePage. No matter how much Bennett tries to rebrand himself while running for governor, his record speaks for itself.”
BOBBY CHARLES WANTS TO RAISE THE RETIREMENT AGE
Maine Independent News recently reported on Bobby Charles’ longstanding relationship with the Association of Mature American Citizens (AMAC), a conservative alternative to AARP, that wants to raise the Social Security full retirement age from 67 to 70.
Charles is a national spokesperson for AMAC and has appeared in countless national media interviews representing the organization. Maine Democrats called on Charles to cut ties with AMAC and step down from his position as spokesperson. So far, he has not done either.
STEVE COLLINS CALLS OUT CHARLES OVER ICE STATEMENTS
Press Herald columnist Steve Collins published a pointed response to Bobby Charles’ “secret” plan to ask his “friend” Tom Homan to send Trump’s ICE and federal marshals to Maine polling centers.
Collins says “Bobby Charles’ contempt for the law should deter voters” and “We don’t need politicians like Charles who display contempt for the only process that can provide them the legitimacy they need to govern.”
Collins’ piece came after Charles received swift and sharp criticism from democratic leaders and nonpartisan groups both locally and nationally. Even some of his fellow Republicans disagreed with him!
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