Maine Politics & News
The Daily Signal reports on Maine politics with coverage of state government, ranked-choice voting battles, and the balance between rural traditions and urban progressive policies in the Pine Tree State.
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Maine Mamdani? Hard-Left Senate Candidate Surges in New Poll
Graham Platner, a hard-left Democrat who has accused Israel of “genocide” and called for “Medicare for All,” leads every candidate in a new poll for Maine’s 2026 Senate race. Republican Sen. Susan Collins is seeking reelection and has two major challengers in the Democrat Senate primary: Platner and Gov. Janet Mills. In new polling from…George Caldwell -
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As ICE Begins Crackdown in Maine, Where Might the Next Target Be?
The Department of Homeland Security announced “Operation Catch of the Day” on Wednesday, with federal immigration agents arriving in Maine to find and arrest criminal illegal aliens. The agency noted that Immigration and Customs Enforcement has already arrested criminal illegal aliens convicted of endangering the welfare of a child and aggravated assault. “We have launched…Virginia Allen -
Maine Poised to Become First State to Withdraw From Popular Vote Compact
Just last year, Maine—one of only two states that apportions its Electoral College votes—opted to join the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact. But the New England state is now poised to exit the compact, which would kick in only if enough states voted to reach the magic 270 electoral votes required to elect a president. While…Fred Lucas -
Supreme Court Allows a Maine Legislator to Legislate
Most injunction stories seem to favor the Left—but here’s one they may not like as much. On Tuesday, the Supreme Court voted 7-2 to grant an injunction requiring the clerk of the Maine House of Representatives to count votes cast by state Rep. Laurel Libby, who had been effectively suspended for her views on gender…Thomas Jipping -
Maine Gov. Janet Mills Doesn’t Know It Yet, But She’s an ‘Insurrectionist’
Editor’s note: This is a lightly edited transcript of today’s video from Daily Signal Senior Contributor Victor Davis Hanson. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see more of his videos. Hello, this is Victor Davis Hanson for The Daily Signal. I want to wade into a very controversial topic. I want to be very careful. It’s…Victor Davis Hanson -
DOJ Announces Lawsuit Against Maine for Failing to Protect Women’s Sports
The Department of Justice launched a civil lawsuit against the Maine Department of Education for failing to protect women in women’s sports, Attorney General Pam Bondi said Wednesday. “The Department of Justice will not sit by when women are discriminated against in sports,” Bondi said. “This is about sports. This is also about these young…Elizabeth Troutman Mitchell -
Maine Insists on Standoff With Trump Over Men in Women’s Sports. Who’s Winning This One?
Maine is putting it all on the line in the name of “transgender rights.” The state has gone so far as to risk federal funding for education and to strip some Maine residents of representation in the state capital. The ongoing dispute between the state and the federal government over Title IX violations is set…Moira Gleason -
Federal Government Finds Maine Defying Federal Law for Still Allowing Males in Female Sports
Maine is violating federal law as it continues to allow males to compete in girls sports in defiance of the president’s executive order barring such competition. That’s according to the Office for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Maine Gov. Janet Mills and Attorney General Aaron Frey have both made…Moira Gleason -
Maine Rep Who Was Censured for Posting About Transgender Athlete Sues House Speaker
When a lawmaker in Maine posted a photo of a male high school athlete winning a girls pole vault state championship, her House colleagues silenced her. Now, she’s taking legal action. Less than two weeks after Maine Rep. Laurel Libby, R-Auburn, posted the photo on Facebook, the Maine House of Representatives voted 75-70 to censure…Moira Gleason -
Trump Makes Good on Threats to Pull Funding From Maine Due to Trans Sports Defiance
President Donald Trump has halted funding for research and programs at the University of Maine System following the state’s governor’s defiance of his executive order slashing funding for states that allow men to compete in women’s sports. Maine Gov. Janet Mills publicly opposed the Feb. 5 executive order protecting women’s sports from transgender intrusion. Mills yelled “See you in…Elizabeth Troutman Mitchell -
Maine Governor Faces Recall Effort Over Transgender Policy
THE CENTER SQUARE—Maine’s Democratic Gov. Janet Mills is facing a recall effort from critics of her transgender policies, but the citizen-led campaign is unlikely to result in her being removed from office. An online recall petition calling for the removal of the second-term Democrat has gathered nearly 30,000 signatures since it was posted last week….Chris Wade -
Maine Pulls a South Carolina
Editor’s note: This is a lightly edited transcript of today’s video from Daily Signal Senior Contributor Victor Davis Hanson. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see more of his videos. Hello, this is Victor Davis Hanson for The Daily Signal. President Donald Trump had a meeting of the governors in the White House recently, this week,…Victor Davis Hanson -
Independent in Name Only: Maine Senator Consistently Votes Liberal Democratic Party Line
Sen. Angus King of Maine bills himself as an “independent,” but his voting record is such that if it could, the Federal Trade Commission might want to charge him with false advertising. That’s because, when Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York says “Jump,” King—like the Democrats he caucuses with, despite being a nominal…Peter Parisi -
Parents Outraged Maine School Clinic Could Give Students Confidential ‘Reproductive Health Care’
A Maine high school may open a new health clinic that would give students confidential “reproductive health care.” At other school-based health centers, that term has been a euphemism for transgender drugs and birth-control prescriptions. Maine School Administrative District 11 voted on Dec. 5 to review the contract for a school-based health center that can…Elizabeth Troutman Mitchell -
‘Totalitarian’ Bill Would Establish Maine as Sanctuary State for Abortions, Trans Surgeries
A Democrat-led bill seeks to establish a legal right to abortions, transgender surgeries, and hormonal treatments in Maine, and protect those traveling from outside of the state to get such procedures there. LD 227 would establish a legal right to “gender-affirming health care services” and “reproductive health care services” within Maine, according to a draft…Mary Margaret Olohan -
BREAKING: Maine Bill That Protects Kidnappers Who Take ‘Transgender Kids’ for ‘Gender-Affirming Care’ Fails in Committee
UPDATE Jan. 25, 2024 5:45 p.m.: A joint standing legislative committee between the Maine House of Representatives and the Maine Senate voted that the transgender custody bill LD 1735 “ought not to pass” Thursday. According to footage of the committee posted online, the motion that the bill “ought not to pass” passed 12-0. Rep. Katrina…Tyler O’Neil -
‘Election Interference of the Worst Kind’: Maine Secretary of State Strikes Trump From Ballot Amid Colorado Case
Two Democratic officials moved to boot former President Donald Trump off the ballot in their states Thursday, even as one of them acknowledged that voters would be able to select the 2024 Republican front-runner until further notice. Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold announced that Trump would remain on the ballot until the U.S. Supreme…Tyler O’Neil -
Harris Seizes on Maine Mass Shooting to Push for Australian-Style Gun Laws
In the aftermath of the killing of 18 in a mass shooting in Maine on Wednesday, Vice President Kamala Harris praised Australian gun bans at a luncheon Thursday with that country’s prime minister. “Gun violence has terrorized and traumatized so many of our communities in this country,” Harris said Thursday afternoon at the event with Australian…Sara Garstka -
The Left Calls for Gun Control After Maine Mass Shooting. But Recent Events Show Why We Need Right to Bear Arms.
When evil is committed in this world, the Left creates victims, rather than empowering good people to stop it. On Wednesday, a mass shooter killed more people, 18, in Lewiston, Maine, than the entire number of people slain in the state in 2021. It was a horrific act of wanton murder. Thirteen others were injured….Jarrett Stepman -
‘Heartbreaking’: Maine Parents Resent Daughters Losing to Trans Cross-Country Runner
Parents of high school girls in Maine having to compete against a biological male say they fear the end is near for women’s sports. “In the mind of these young ladies, it’s going to really deter them from even giving the effort, because we’re never going to be able to beat this person,” said Chris…Elizabeth Troutman Mitchell