Ahead of tonight’s Republican gubernatorial debate, Maine voters are being presented with a GOP field defined by extreme policies, sex scandals, out-of-state influence, and serious questions about judgment — not solutions for working families.
It starts with Bobby Charles, who has backed out of tonight’s debate, brushing it off as having “limited ROI” to avoid questions about a record that would cut health care, slash food assistance, and raise costs for Maine families.
Charles backs the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” supporting cuts that would leave tens of thousands without coverage and push energy costs higher.
At the same time, more than 78,000 Maine households rely on SNAP to put food on the table — but Charles is “totally on side” with Trump’s agenda to restrict access to that assistance and make it harder for families to get by.
He’s pushing Trump’s DOGE agenda that threatens Social Security services, nonprofit funding, and jobs across the state — while promoting election conspiracy theories and advancing immigration proposals that would harm Maine communities.
And on abortion, Charles has called himself “unapologetically pro-life,” pushed to limit access, and backed ending public funding for abortion — part of the same far-right agenda he’s trying to bring to Maine.
And it doesn’t get better from there.
Garrett Mason: A recycled politician who already lost the 2018 Maine GOP gubernatorial primary and is now back for another try — this time propped up by MAGA billionaire Richard Uihlein, a megadonor who has poured millions into candidates pushing abortion bans and far-right policies across the country. Mason wants to run as the “affordability” candidate, but there’s nothing affordable about the agenda he’s aligned with — it’s the same Trump-backed playbook of higher costs, fewer protections, and policies written for donors, not Maine families.
Jonathan Bush: A candidate who has admitted to “physical altercations” with his ex-wife — with court records detailing repeated incidents of domestic violence — and who has also faced allegations of creating a sexually inappropriate workplace as CEO. Now he’s running for governor while echoing Trump-style rhetoric, raising serious questions about his judgment — and whether he’s fit to lead Maine.
Maine voters are looking for solutions to rising costs and economic uncertainty. The only thing that this Republican field is offering instead is higher costs, fewer protections, and a race to prove loyalty to Donald Trump — no matter the consequences for Maine families.
Published: May 20, 2026