Gov. Janet Mills said she believes Hannah Pingree will stand up to Donald Trump’s administration if she’s elected as the next governor of Maine.
Maine has faced multiple federal investigations since Mills’ high profile conflict with the president last year over the state’s policy on transgender athletes.
Pingree is a former Maine House speaker who served in the Mills administration, leading the Office of Policy Innovation and the Future. She is also the daughter of U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree.
On Tuesday, Mills formally endorsed Hannah Pingree to succeed her in the Blaine House.
On Wednesday, Mills told reporters she believes Pingree’s experience will make her a good successor.
“She’s been in public office. She was speaker of the house. She forged bipartisan budgets, bipartisan legislation,” said Mills. “She knows the climate change issues like the back of her hand. She knows budgeting. She knows about workforce issues.”
She went on to add that she believes Pingree will push back against the federal spotlight that’s been put on Maine.
“She’s got a solid mind, a solid bank of experience and courage to stand up to people in this federal administration and to make things happen for Maine people,” said Mills. “I know all the candidates and I have to say, in my book, she’s the only one who can do that. The only one.”
Pingree is one of five democratic candidates for governor in the June 9 primary. Two of them, Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, former Maine CDC Director Nirav Shah, also served under Mills.
Angus King III, the son of former governor and current U.S. Sen. Angus King, and former Senate President Troy Jackson are the two other candidates running in the Democratic primary.
