Bobby Charles says he will ask Trump border czar to send ICE to Maine polls
Candidate for governor Bobby Charles campaignsin Gorham on Aug. 20. (Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Staff Photographer)
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Republican candidate for Maine governor Bobby Charles recently told supporters that he plans to ask the Trump administration to send federal immigration agents to Maine polls this fall, according to an audio recording of his comments.
“I have a friend named Tom Homan,” Charles says in the recording, referring to Trump’s border czar. The recording was first reported on by the Bangor Daily News Wednesday.
“I’m going to ask Tom … I’m going to make an appeal for ICE and marshals to be at our voting booths,” Charles goes on to say. “Do you think the illegals who are being paid money are going to like that?”
The Maine Democratic Party published a shorter version of the recording on its Facebook page Wednesday. Party Executive Director Devon Murphy-Anderson said in a written statement that Charles is a “MAGA extremist” and his request would likely be illegal.
“This is a blatant attempt to intimidate voters and yet another reason Bobby Charles is too extreme for Maine,” Murphy-Anderson said.
The U.S. Constitution and federal law prohibit federal law enforcement, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, from being in polling places in Maine and across the country, Secretary of State Shenna Bellows said in an interview Wednesday.
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“Bobby Charles can say whatever he wants, but he can’t change the Constitution or federal law,” Bellows said.
In addition, Maine law prohibits law enforcement within 250 feet of voting places, with the exception of local law enforcement invited by an election warden specifically, Bellows said.
Charles, an attorney and former U.S. assistant secretary of state, made the comments at an Aug. 20 meeting of the Maine Young Republicans in Arundel, according to the BDN.
“The point is that Bobby will do everything legally possible to prevent illegal voting in Maine, to make sure that Maine elections are decided by legal Maine voters,” Charles’ campaign manager, Dale Crafts Jr., said in a written statement Wednesday. “He will seek both state and federal assurances that those casting votes are legal.”
The 66-year-old from Leeds is currently running an underdog campaign against Democrat Hannah Pingree, whom numerous polls have found to have a double-digit lead over Charles. Independent Rick Bennett is also in the race to succeed Democratic Gov. Janet Mills.
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Pingree attacked Charles in a fundraising email to supporters Wednesday.
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“His plan to ask Trump’s border czar to send ICE agents to Maine polling places just weeks before Election Day is deeply disturbing, and yet another example that Bobby Charles is too extreme for Maine,” the fundraising request said.
“Maine deserves a governor who will bring people together, protect the right to vote, and stand up for the safety and dignity of every community,” it goes on. “Hannah has repeatedly called for ICE to get out of Maine, and as governor she’ll demand real, independent oversight, and keep fighting for accountability.”
The Maine AFL-CIO also criticized Charles on Wednesday.
“Calling for masked federal agents to be deployed around polling locations is a cynical attempt to intimidate voters,” Cynthia Phinney, president of Maine AFL-CIO, said in a written statement. “No one should be afraid to show up and exercise their constitutional right to vote, but that’s exactly what this is trying to do.”
Staff Writer Drew Johnson contributed to this story.
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Tagged: bobby charles, election 2026, governor's race 2026, maine politics
Rachel covers state government and politics for the Portland Press Herald. It’s her third beat at the paper after stints covering City Hall and education. Prior to her arrival at the Press Herald in. More by Rachel Ohm
