Former Republican Gov. Paul LePage thundered back onto Maine’s political stage Wednesday with a campaign kick-off in which he took direct aim at Gov. Janet Mills for her decisions during the pandemic.
“She made the decisions on who was essential and who was not,” he said to a crowd of about 2,000 at the Augusta Civic Center. “Let me be clear Janet Mills, every Mainer is essential.”
A significant portion of his 34-minute speech focused on education, criticizing Mills for “heavy-handed directives” and calling for cuts to spending on administrative costs in schools, a familiar theme from his previous tenure as governor.
He said Mills, a Democrat, spent too little on nursing homes during the pandemic and criticized her decision to expand Medicaid in Maine.
“We must rescue Maine’s economy and put our fiscal house in order,” he said to the crowd.
Standing behind a podium that said “Move Maine Forward,” LePage said the state needs to get back on track. He said during his eight years in office, he lowered unemployment, paid back debt owed to hospitals, helped create private sector jobs, and cut taxes.
If he is elected again, he called for the elimination of the state income tax and said students should get a one-year free pass to make up for school missed during the pandemic. He said the cap on charter schools should be lifted.
In a pre-recorded video message, Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins endorsed LePage, calling him “the best candidate to grow our economy.” As her image was broadcast on two video screens, many in the crowd booed her as she praised LePage and called him a “job creator.”
In introductory remarks, Sen. Trey Stewart (R-Presque Isle) said there are two viruses in Maine — COVID-19 and socialism.
“The vaccine for socialism is right here, ready to move Maine forward and his name is Paul LePage,” he said.
Another endorsement came from veteran Travis Mills, who introduced former first lady Ann LePage. She recapped her husband’s hardscrabble upbringing marked by domestic violence and homelessness. She reminded his supporters that he served as mayor of Waterville — a Republican in a largely Democratic town — and helped grow Marden’s into a well-known Maine brand.
She recalled a piece of advice he was given as a child: “If it is to be, it is up to me.”
Twelve years to the day that he announced his first run for governor in 2009, LePage, 72, tried on Wednesday to launch a comeback after briefly moving to Florida and retiring.
Mills, 73, has yet to officially announce a re-election campaign, although she has raised nearly $600,000 for a run, according to the Ethics Commission.
When asked during a COVID-19 briefing on Wednesday if she is planning to run for re-election, Mills told a television reporter that she is focused on dealing with the pandemic.
“I don’t intend to talk politics,” she said. “I think it’s way too early to be talking about campaigns. I don’t think the people of Maine want to hear about campaigns at this stage of the pandemic.”
A recent poll by Spectrum News/Ipsos shows that 49% of registered Maine voters disapprove of Mills’ job performance, while 48% approve.
The poll, which has a margin of error of 3.5 percentage points, showed 48% supported LePage’s decision to run again, with 46% saying they are opposed.
If both end up on the ballot Nov. 8, 2022, political scientists say Mainers can expect an expensive and competitive race.
LePage was a little-known mayor in 2009 when he won a seven-way Republican primary and a five-way general election battle, becoming governor with 38% of the vote. He easily won re-election in 2014 with 48% of the vote.
As he asked voters to give him a third term, he said Mills represents “power, control and the politics of the past.”
“The choice next November is clear,” he said. “My campaign stands for faith, freedom and trust.”