After the Maine Secretary of State’s Office confirmed that Governor Janet Mills and former Governor Paul LePage are the only candidates for Governor to make the primary ballot in their respective party primaries, Maine Democratic Party Chair Drew Gattine released the following statement:
“This November, when Maine people cast our votes for governor, we will be faced with two familiar names: Janet Mills and Paul LePage. The records of both candidates from their time in the Blaine House are familiar as well—and the right choice for Maine’s future could not be more clear.
“Maine deserves a governor who can lead our state to take on the biggest challenges it faces and deliver progress. For more than three years, that is exactly what Janet Mills has done. Her leadership is why Maine had one of the most effective pandemic responses in the nation. It’s why we’ve made so much progress expanding health care access, preserving our lands and waters, and tackling the climate crisis. It’s why we’ve made record investments in our public schools, our infrastructure, and our economy, leading to a record-breaking budget surplus. And it’s why, if re-elected, our state will continue to prosper and make the progress that Maine people deserve.
“For eight years, Paul LePage refused to address some of the biggest problems impacting our state —like the opioid epidemic, climate crisis, and economic downturn—and Maine people suffered as a result. Instead of delivering progress on expanded access to health care, child care, and broadband, he obstructed it. Instead of working to unite our state, he fought with both Democrats and Republicans in the legislature, belittled Maine’s most vulnerable people, and insulted voters across the state. And instead of promising to build on the progress we’ve made since he left office, he has returned from retirement in Florida, campaigning on tearing it all down, no matter the consequences for the people of Maine. We can’t let Paul LePage drag us backward once again.”