Maine gubernatorial hopefuls trade barbs in first televised debate
Maine’s three gubernatorial hopefuls met for their first televised debate on a late‑September evening, facing questions on taxes, revenue, housing, substance use, energy costs and health care. The event, staged by the Maine Chamber of Commerce and moderated by News Center Maine, quickly proved difficult to keep on schedule as the candidates repeatedly strayed from the allotted topics.
Republican Bobby Charles, a 66‑year‑old lawyer from Leeds and former assistant U.S. secretary of state, positioned himself as an outsider willing to audit state agencies for fraud and waste. Independent Rick Bennett, 63, who left the Republican Party when he entered the race in June, repeatedly challenged Charles’s grasp of state budgeting, citing federal audits that flagged mismanagement during Charles’s 18‑month tenure at the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs. Bennett remarked, “It’s hard to digest all I’ve just heard here, particularly from Bobby Charles,” and added, “He just doesn’t simply understand how the fiscal process works, which doesn’t surprise me because inspector generals and auditors at the federal government cited him dozens of times for mismanagement of federal spending.”
Charles pushed back on the criticism, saying, “The Bangor Daily News doesn’t always report the facts,” and claimed the outlet had highlighted only a narrow portion of his record. He also noted the irony of two long‑serving officials calling for systemic change, stating, “I find it ironic that two people who’ve served both 30 years and 25 years are saying that we need to fix the system.”
Democrat Hannah Pingree, 49, of North Haven and a former policy aide to Gov. Janet Mills, used the forum to highlight her gender and experience. After one exchange she declared, “This is why we need women in charge,” a line that drew laughter and applause. She also reminded viewers of Charles’s federal lobbying work and his consistent support for former President Donald Trump, saying, “(Charles is) somebody who has supported Donald Trump at every turn… His tariffs, his war in Iran, his big, beautiful bill that has cut our healthcare system. We’re facing economic headwinds because of this president.” In response, Charles distanced himself from Trump on certain issues, commenting on Iran, “I have been very clear, at the outset, that the hitting of the nuclear program was great (but), I do not agree with him right now, in terms of the extended engagement over there,” and added, “I’ve never met the guy (Trump), but I have appealed publicly that we need to get back to the negotiating table and get tariffs down.”
Polling released the previous week showed Pingree leading Charles 48 % to 36 %, with Bennett at 8 %. Fundraising figures mirrored that gap: Pingree has amassed more than $4.3 million, Charles roughly $1.8 million, and Bennett just under $924,000.
The candidates agreed to three additional debates, including one next Thursday hosted by Maine Public, News Center Maine and the Portland Press Herald, followed by forums on WGME CBS 13 on Oct. 13 and WMTW the next day. Whether Tuesday’s exchange will shift the race remains uncertain, but the debate offered voters a clear contrast in style, experience and policy emphasis among the three contenders vying to lead Maine.
