Previous Offices Held
Elected to and served in the Maine House of Representatives in 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2008. Served as House majority leader from 2006 to 2008 and as speaker from 2008 to 2010. Elected to the SAD7 school board in North Haven in 2011, 2014 and 2017, and served as school board chair from 2017-2019.
Top Three Priorities
Addressing the cost of living by expanding access to housing and good jobs — so families manage rising costs, workers and businesses thrive, seniors stay in their homes and every community has what it needs. Accessible, affordable healthcare — easy to navigate statewide and strong enough to withstand the Trump administration's cuts. Protecting Maine's independence and institutions — defending the rights of all Mainers and pushing back on federal overreach that hurts our state.
Why are you running?
I'm running because Maine families deserve a leader who is ready to lead and can deliver results. From the school board to Speaker of the House, I've spent nearly 25 years fighting for Maine people. At this critical moment, Maine needs someone tough enough to stand up to Trump and experienced enough to work across the aisle to lower the cost of healthcare, build the housing families need, and keep our state moving forward.
Maine’s annual budget grew nearly twofold during the Mills administration. Is this a welcome or an unwelcome trend? What would you do to continue or reverse it?
Maine's budget must be balanced by law and state programs need to be efficient and deliver results. I take this responsibility seriously, especially as Mainers face rising costs for all the basics. Much of the recent growth addressed real needs in healthcare and education, needs that are only growing as Trump cuts Medicaid, Medicare, education and food programs. I will work to build bipartisan budgets that protect what Mainers depend on, while making state government run more efficiently.
Maine has shown steep declines in early education test scores in recent years, an alarming trend. What is causing this problem, and what would you do to fix it?
Too many Maine students aren't reading or doing math at grade level, and that's unacceptable. As governor, I'll invest in proven reading programs and strong early math instruction — especially for our early elementary students, fund instructional coaching and teacher professional development and use student data to target interventions early. I'll also ensure adequate state funding — paired with local property tax relief — so every school can deliver this, not just wealthy ones.
What is one policy area where you’d like to build on the progress of the Mills Administration, and what is one policy area where you’d like to change direction from her leadership? Please explain briefly.
I'll accelerate the Mills administration's work on housing production, expanding first-time homebuyer support and cutting barriers to building. I'll also work to halt private equity firms buying mobile home parks and converting year-round homes into short-term rentals. I'll change direction on tribal sovereignty by introducing a governor's bill, drafted in partnership with tribal nations, to ensure the Wabanaki have the same rights as other federally recognized tribes.