Augusta, ME – As Paul LePage launches his 2022 gubernatorial campaign, Drew Gattine, Chair of the Maine Democratic Party issued the following statement:
“Paul LePage denied tens of thousands of Maine people health care. He increased property taxes on our seniors. He underfunded education for our children. He gutted our public health infrastructure. He undermined environmental protections. He eviscerated our social safety net. He denied people a life-saving drug overdose medication. That’s Paul LePage’s record.
“He disparaged our state, lied over and over, and belittled Maine people, attacking them and calling them names. He brought national embarrassment upon us and left Maine for Florida before his term was even over. That’s how Paul LePage treats our people and our state.
“Governor Mills expanded health care, made historic investments in our public schools, delivered property tax relief, invested in broadband expansion, increased the Rainy Day Fund to a record level, and is combating climate change.
“She has kept Maine people safe throughout this pandemic, leading us through this public health crisis with some of the best results in the nation. Now, she is working to get Maine people back to work and our economy back on track. She has governed with decency and respect, and she makes compromises to move Maine forward. She has delivered time and again on issues LePage failed to act on.
“Maine doesn’t need an unprecedented third term of Paul LePage’s disastrous policies or his vulgar outbursts and attacks. Maine deserves better – we deserve Janet Mills.
Senate President Troy Jackson issued the following statement:
“Governor Janet Mills has guided our state through a once-in-a-lifetime public health crisis, with an aggressive strategy that has helped curb the spread of COVID-19 and undoubtedly saved lives. She's also worked with the Legislature to finally make good on the state's promise to fully fund education at 55 percent and put our state on track to fully restoring revenue sharing by the end of next year – two initiatives that my colleagues and I have worked on for years.
“Though we have had our differences at times, Governor Mills has proven to be a strong and capable leader, moving our state forward without any state government shutdowns, holding the state hostage over clean election funds or other political antics. Now is not the time to go backward.”
Speaker of the House Ryan Fecteau issued the following statement:
"I'm proudly supporting Governor Mills who has led with compassion and grit, making tough decisions, guided by facts and science. Under her leadership, Maine banned harmful conversion therapy, expanded affordable healthcare to over 80,000 Mainers, and finally funded education at 55 percent. Maine has built up the largest Rainy Day Fund in state history at nearly $500 million. Our economic recovery has been robust and our public health response has been swift.
“I can’t imagine LePage at the helm during this public health emergency. Maine would most certainly be an outlier in all the worst ways in New England. Surely, he would bring all that he learned in Florida from Governor DeSantis’ dismal COVID response back here to Maine."