Maine

Q2 Fishing industry: The Gulf of Maine is among the fastest warming water bodies in the world. How will you support Maine fisheries communities in adapting to these changes, and what role do federal agencies (like NOAA) and local organizations have in monitoring and managing fish stocks?

As Governor, I will trust science and provide the necessary leadership to rally people toward a common goal of sustaining Maine’s fisheries and the communities that depend on them. The people who know this issue best are the fishermen who work it every day. Adaptation has to be built with them, not imposed on them. Maine’s research institutions and fishing organizations should be full partners in collecting the data, because management works best when the people on the water trust the numbers and help produce them.

In the face of climate change, we must make waterfront infrastructure funding permanent. The $22 million the state put toward rebuilding harbors after the January 2024 storms cannot be a one-time appropriation. I will fund the Working Waterfront Access Protection Program on an ongoing basis rather than through occasional bonds, so wharves stay in commercial fishing hands. And to help diversify risk, I will make sustainable aquaculture permitting predictable and timely, and invest in processing here, so Maine captures more of the value from our fishing industry instead of shipping raw product out of state.

Q2 Fishing industry: The Gulf of Maine is among the fastest warming water bodies in the world. How will you support Maine fisheries communities in adapting to these changes, and what role do federal agencies (like NOAA) and local organizations have in monitoring and managing fish stocks?

I grew up in a lobster fishing community and have spent much of my life working with the people most in touch with ocean ecosystems — fishermen. And I have witnessed and heard firsthand about the impacts fishermen are seeing from a changing climate. Fishermen and coastal communities support sound science that helps us monitor changes, understand the impacts we are seeing, and prepare for the changes to come.

Maine’s lobster fishery is sustainably managed, but not immune to a changing climate and warming waters. I served on my local Lobster Management Zone Council and consistently fought for practical, common-sense management in partnership with fishing communities. As Speaker of the Maine House and leader of Maine’s storm recovery efforts over the last several years, I have worked to protect working waterfronts and ensure fishermen had a seat at the table. Scientists, fishermen, and leaders of coastal and island communities need to be active participants in data collection as we work collectively to manage fishing stocks, monitor climate-driven changes, and work to understand the impacts on our fishermen and communities in the years to come. This includes state and federal leaders, from NOAA, to the Department of Marine Resources, to fishermen scientists.

Q9 [OPTIONAL] Automation, AI and the workforce: As automation and artificial intelligence reshape the labor market, what policies would you support to help Mainers adapt to changes in the workplace and access new job opportunities?

Maine should get ahead of this change instead of reacting after people lose their jobs. Maine’s Department of Labor expects the biggest impacts in administrative, computer, and clerical work, and the jobs least at risk are ones Maine is already short of: skilled trades, direct patient care, and work that requires human judgment. That overlap is Maine’s opportunity, if we act early.

I will charge a refocused Department of Enterprise and Economic Development with tracking AI-driven job disruption in real time and steering training dollars where the gap opens next. I will build a rapid retraining fund through Maine’s community colleges for workers in the industries most likely to be disrupted, so a displaced workers land in new work, not out of work. I will embed AI literacy in our schools and adult education so the next generation graduates ready for the workplace they will enter.

And I will put people first as employers adopt these tools. Workers deserve notice when AI is used in hiring, scheduling, or layoffs. No Mainer should be fired by an algorithm without meaningful human review. Used right, AI should augment Maine workers and make state services faster and simpler, not replace the people behind them.

Q9 [OPTIONAL] Automation, AI and the workforce: As automation and artificial intelligence reshape the labor market, what policies would you support to help Mainers adapt to changes in the workplace and access new job opportunities?

Artificial intelligence promises advances and savings, but also threatens essential tenets of our economy and communities. I have laid out plans and advocated for a “people-first” AI strategy designed to ensure that rapid technological advancements serve to strengthen, rather than diminish, Maine’s workforce, education system, and economy. I will advance policies that protect worker rights, protect privacy, improve job quality, and guarantee that innovation benefits local communities rather than just corporate bottom lines.

Q2 Fishing industry: The Gulf of Maine is among the fastest warming water bodies in the world. How will you support Maine fisheries communities in adapting to these changes, and what role do federal agencies (like NOAA) and local organizations have in monitoring and managing fish stocks?

As Governor, I will trust science and provide the necessary leadership to rally people toward a common goal of sustaining Maine’s fisheries and the communities that depend on them. The people who know this issue best are the fishermen who work it every day. Adaptation has to be built with them, not imposed on them. Maine’s research institutions and fishing organizations should be full partners in collecting the data, because management works best when the people on the water trust the numbers and help produce them.

In the face of climate change, we must make waterfront infrastructure funding permanent. The $22 million the state put toward rebuilding harbors after the January 2024 storms cannot be a one-time appropriation. I will fund the Working Waterfront Access Protection Program on an ongoing basis rather than through occasional bonds, so wharves stay in commercial fishing hands. And to help diversify risk, I will make sustainable aquaculture permitting predictable and timely, and invest in processing here, so Maine captures more of the value from our fishing industry instead of shipping raw product out of state.

Q3 Natural Resources: Maine is “Vacationland,” renowned for its natural resources that draw in millions of visitors per year. What policies, if any, do you support or envision in managing land-based resources in Maine (i.e. water, open-space preserves, parks) and how will you balance conservation with economic development in Maine’s natural resource sectors?

Maine’s environment belongs to all of us and we belong to it. It’s the foundation of our health, our livelihood, and our identity. As Governor, I will treat environmental stewardship as both a life sustaining imperative and economic strategy. Outdoor recreation generates $3.9 billion in annual GDP. Tourism drives a $16.3 billion impact. Our forest products industry contributes $8.5 billion. Every one of those numbers depends on clean water, intact forests, and working lands.

Yet the four agencies that protect those assets receive roughly one cent of every dollar Maine spends. As Governor, I will fully resource them, with budgets that reflect what we ask of them and salaries that keep experienced scientists, foresters, and rangers on the job. I will protect clean water and reduce pollution, keep forests intact and habitats connected, and build climate resilience. I will invest in state parks and trails after years of underinvestment. I will protect working farmland while steering new homes toward village centers, so Maine grows food and builds houses at once. I will keep working-forests working, storing carbon, and open to recreation.

Q8 [OPTIONAL] Coastal flooding and real estate: As Maine communities face risks from coastal flooding and severe storms, how should the state support residents, municipalities, and property owners in planning for and reducing flood-related damage?

As Governor, I will prioritize funding for resilience planning and infrastructure including stormwater systems, flood protection, coastal defenses, and flood insurance. I will continue replacing undersized culverts, which protects roads and restores fish habitat at the same time, and I will prioritize nature-based solutions that work with natural systems rather than against them. Grants to regional councils, nonprofits, and municipalities will stretch state dollars and put decisions close to the ground. Planning now beats crisis response later, and it protects both taxpayers and the people who live on our coast.

Q2 Fishing industry: The Gulf of Maine is among the fastest warming water bodies in the world. How will you support Maine fisheries communities in adapting to these changes, and what role do federal agencies (like NOAA) and local organizations have in monitoring and managing fish stocks?

I grew up in a lobster fishing community and have spent much of my life working with the people most in touch with ocean ecosystems — fishermen. And I have witnessed and heard firsthand about the impacts fishermen are seeing from a changing climate. Fishermen and coastal communities support sound science that helps us monitor changes, understand the impacts we are seeing, and prepare for the changes to come.

Maine’s lobster fishery is sustainably managed, but not immune to a changing climate and warming waters. I served on my local Lobster Management Zone Council and consistently fought for practical, common-sense management in partnership with fishing communities. As Speaker of the Maine House and leader of Maine’s storm recovery efforts over the last several years, I have worked to protect working waterfronts and ensure fishermen had a seat at the table. Scientists, fishermen, and leaders of coastal and island communities need to be active participants in data collection as we work collectively to manage fishing stocks, monitor climate-driven changes, and work to understand the impacts on our fishermen and communities in the years to come. This includes state and federal leaders, from NOAA, to the Department of Marine Resources, to fishermen scientists.

Q3 Natural Resources: Maine is “Vacationland,” renowned for its natural resources that draw in millions of visitors per year. What policies, if any, do you support or envision in managing land-based resources in Maine (i.e. water, open-space preserves, parks) and how will you balance conservation with economic development in Maine’s natural resource sectors?

Maine’s natural lands, clean waters, and natural resources are the foundation of who we are, our economy, and why we love Maine. As governor, I’ll protect these resources, strengthen rural communities and our essential heritage industries, like fishing, farming, and forestry, and ensure that future economic opportunities complement our goals to protect our natural resources. As a lifelong champion of Maine’s Land for Maine’s Future program, I will work to grow our efforts to protect both recreational and working lands, including farmland, forests, and waterfronts. We’ll also increase our climate resilience efforts, ensuring that we are protecting those areas that protect communities from flooding, enhance valuable watersheds and drinking water, and increase our ability to withstand extreme weather like storms and droughts.

I’ll also increase efforts to partner Maine’s conservation, housing, and sustainable economic opportunities — ensuring that we are both protecting the lands that drive our economy, but also ensuring that Maine people can afford to stay in this state and find housing and good-paying job opportunities that allow them to do that.

Q8 [OPTIONAL] Coastal flooding and real estate: As Maine communities face risks from coastal flooding and severe storms, how should the state support residents, municipalities, and property owners in planning for and reducing flood-related damage?

We’ve already seen the impact of severe weather events on our coastal and inland communities, but we’ve also shown our ability to adapt and rebuild stronger after destructive weather. Following the devastating winter storms in 2023 and 2024, I led the work to pass the largest storm recovery package in state history, helping to rebuild our coastal communities and better prepare them for the future. I also helped start the Community Resilience Partnership program, funding more than 250 Maine communities who were seeking to develop local action plans. I believe the state should be a strong partner in helping communities prepare for these challenges. As governor, I will continue to strengthen the Resilience Partnership Program and the Maine Office of Community Affairs, which I helped start, to ensure that it serves as an essential one-stop shop for municipalities’ needs.

It’s important to help homeowners access resources for flood mitigation. Protecting Maine’s coastline also means preserving the working waterfronts and natural resources that support our economy and way of life. Decisions about coastal resilience should be guided by science, shaped by local communities, and focused on long-term solutions that safeguard both people and the environment.

Q1 Cost of fuel and heating: Maine has among the highest electricity costs in the country given the lack of local production options. What might be your approach to lowering energy costs for Mainers while considering alternative energy options such as renewables?

Electricity costs are too expensive for Mainers. As Governor, I will lower energy costs four ways. First, right-size utility profits by lowering the authorized return on equity, so ratepayers stop subsidizing shareholder gains. Second, lower energy costs for Maine’s manufacturers and heritage industries through negotiated rate contracts tied to jobs and investment. Third, help Mainers conserve energy and increase efficiency through weatherization and heat pumps, because the cheapest energy is the energy we don’t use. Fourth, create a Maine Generation Authority so ratepayers benefit from Maine’s renewable energy potential instead of out-of-state energy users and shareholders.

Renewable power built here and owned here keeps our energy dollars in Maine and lowers costs over the long run, which in turns helps make the case for electrification. Pairing that generation with grid modernization and storage keeps it reliable. Affordability comes first, and locally controlled clean power is how we get there.

Q5 Data centers: Data centers bring promises of economic development, but also rising electricity costs and property taxes that directly affect local communities and workers already rooted here. If elected, would you support lifting or extending the current moratorium, and if lifting it, what policies would you implement to ensure large energy users don’t increase costs for Maine households and commit to local hiring?

There is no moratorium on data centers in Maine today. The Legislature passed one, and I supported it, because Maine needs the time to plan for this deliberately rather than react project by project. Governor Mills vetoed it.

Maine needs to be extremely cautious about data centers regarding water use and pollution potential as well impacts on electricity costs and the host communities. That said, some projects may make sense if they can plug into existing grid capacity, that improves grid utilization rather than straining it, and that doesn’t push costs onto residential ratepayers or negatively impact the community. Maine needs time to develop a real framework for how to address data centers and their impact.

Q7 [OPTIONAL] Rural economy: What policies would you support to strengthen rural economies in Maine, including through workforce development, infrastructure investment, and emerging sectors such as clean energy or tech?

Our rural farms, forests, and outdoor economy are Maine’s competitive advantage and the reason many people build a life here. A job only works if the life around it is affordable, so my plans to lower housing, child care, health care, and energy costs are part of this agenda.

I will rebuild guaranteed markets connecting Maine farms to schools, food banks, and hospitals, and invest in the cold storage and processing that let farms sell at scale. I will build the East Coast’s first mass timber factory with a $50 million bond, so Maine wood becomes Maine building panels. I will turn low-value wood into packaging and jet fuel, and Maine research into Maine companies. I’ll make rural Maine a place clean energy gets built, with predictable permitting and real revenue for host towns. I will give every business one point of contact instead of a maze of agencies, and launch a growth fund that widens access to capital. I will fund state parks and trails so recreation spending stays local. And I will expand Career and Technical Education and paid apprenticeships while building what rural Maine runs on: reliable roads, universal broadband, and modern water and energy systems.

Q1 Cost of fuel and heating: Maine has among the highest electricity costs in the country given the lack of local production options. What might be your approach to lowering energy costs for Mainers while considering alternative energy options such as renewables?

The goals of reducing our emissions to meet our climate goals and lowering the cost of power for Maine people are both urgent and within reach with the right policies and action. As Governor, I will hold our state’s largest utilities accountable and ensure that we are putting Maine ratepayers first. I’ll force the Public Utilities Commission to use every tool available to drive down electricity bills, including requirements that we incentivize utilities when customer bills go down, not up; facilitate electrification and home energy efficiency programs that bring down rates; maximize grid utilization to get the most out of the infrastructure we’ve already paid for; and ensure that needed investments to modernize the grid and make it more resilient are made with the lowest-cost financing available.

Maine should invest in clean, locally-produced low-cost renewable energy that supports Maine jobs and energy independence while lowering costs for ratepayers. I will support responsibly-sited clean energy that benefits communities and reform outdated permitting processes to build and connect clean energy projects faster.

Q5 Data centers: Data centers bring promises of economic development, but also rising electricity costs and property taxes that directly affect local communities and workers already rooted here. If elected, would you support lifting or extending the current moratorium, and if lifting it, what policies would you implement to ensure large energy users don’t increase costs for Maine households and commit to local hiring?

Maine does not have a data center moratorium in place, but I have called for a moratorium on new AI data centers until strong protections are in place to safeguard Maine’s environment, water resources, communities, electric grid, and energy ratepayers. Maine people cannot afford increased energy costs or environmental damage to line the pockets of big AI tech companies.

Maine should establish the strongest standards in the country that ensure that any future development provides clear benefits to our state, communities, and ratepayers without compromising our state’s natural resources.

Q7 [OPTIONAL] Rural economy: What policies would you support to strengthen rural economies in Maine, including through workforce development, infrastructure investment, and emerging sectors such as clean energy or tech?

Too many communities in Maine, especially in our rural areas, have watched jobs leave without replacement, watched young people move away without a reason to come back, and watched the state government feel distant and indifferent. I refuse to accept that. Every corner of this state deserves the tools to build a future that works for the people who live there.

State leaders must work for and support small businesses, especially in rural areas that may not have the same partners and infrastructure as our more urban areas. I will simplify and accelerate permitting processes to allow businesses and housing projects to proceed faster. I will create a Rural Opportunities & Growth Partnership to drive targeted investments that create locally-driven economic opportunities, from farming to forest products manufacturing. I will create a State Resilience Bank to finance critical infrastructure, especially in rural and underserved communities. I’ll also help connect rural communities digitally by completing broadband and wireless expansion. When our rural communities succeed, all of Maine thrives.

Q2 Fishing industry: The Gulf of Maine is among the fastest warming water bodies in the world. How will you support Maine fisheries communities in adapting to these changes, and what role do federal agencies (like NOAA) and local organizations have in monitoring and managing fish stocks?

As Governor, I will trust science and provide the necessary leadership to rally people toward a common goal of sustaining Maine’s fisheries and the communities that depend on them. The people who know this issue best are the fishermen who work it every day. Adaptation has to be built with them, not imposed on them. Maine’s research institutions and fishing organizations should be full partners in collecting the data, because management works best when the people on the water trust the numbers and help produce them.

In the face of climate change, we must make waterfront infrastructure funding permanent. The $22 million the state put toward rebuilding harbors after the January 2024 storms cannot be a one-time appropriation. I will fund the Working Waterfront Access Protection Program on an ongoing basis rather than through occasional bonds, so wharves stay in commercial fishing hands. And to help diversify risk, I will make sustainable aquaculture permitting predictable and timely, and invest in processing here, so Maine captures more of the value from our fishing industry instead of shipping raw product out of state.

Q3 Natural Resources: Maine is “Vacationland,” renowned for its natural resources that draw in millions of visitors per year. What policies, if any, do you support or envision in managing land-based resources in Maine (i.e. water, open-space preserves, parks) and how will you balance conservation with economic development in Maine’s natural resource sectors?

Maine’s environment belongs to all of us and we belong to it. It’s the foundation of our health, our livelihood, and our identity. As Governor, I will treat environmental stewardship as both a life sustaining imperative and economic strategy. Outdoor recreation generates $3.9 billion in annual GDP. Tourism drives a $16.3 billion impact. Our forest products industry contributes $8.5 billion. Every one of those numbers depends on clean water, intact forests, and working lands.

Yet the four agencies that protect those assets receive roughly one cent of every dollar Maine spends. As Governor, I will fully resource them, with budgets that reflect what we ask of them and salaries that keep experienced scientists, foresters, and rangers on the job. I will protect clean water and reduce pollution, keep forests intact and habitats connected, and build climate resilience. I will invest in state parks and trails after years of underinvestment. I will protect working farmland while steering new homes toward village centers, so Maine grows food and builds houses at once. I will keep working-forests working, storing carbon, and open to recreation.

Q5 Data centers: Data centers bring promises of economic development, but also rising electricity costs and property taxes that directly affect local communities and workers already rooted here. If elected, would you support lifting or extending the current moratorium, and if lifting it, what policies would you implement to ensure large energy users don’t increase costs for Maine households and commit to local hiring?

There is no moratorium on data centers in Maine today. The Legislature passed one, and I supported it, because Maine needs the time to plan for this deliberately rather than react project by project. Governor Mills vetoed it.

Maine needs to be extremely cautious about data centers regarding water use and pollution potential as well impacts on electricity costs and the host communities. That said, some projects may make sense if they can plug into existing grid capacity, that improves grid utilization rather than straining it, and that doesn’t push costs onto residential ratepayers or negatively impact the community. Maine needs time to develop a real framework for how to address data centers and their impact.

Q8 [OPTIONAL] Coastal flooding and real estate: As Maine communities face risks from coastal flooding and severe storms, how should the state support residents, municipalities, and property owners in planning for and reducing flood-related damage?

As Governor, I will prioritize funding for resilience planning and infrastructure including stormwater systems, flood protection, coastal defenses, and flood insurance. I will continue replacing undersized culverts, which protects roads and restores fish habitat at the same time, and I will prioritize nature-based solutions that work with natural systems rather than against them. Grants to regional councils, nonprofits, and municipalities will stretch state dollars and put decisions close to the ground. Planning now beats crisis response later, and it protects both taxpayers and the people who live on our coast.

Q2 Fishing industry: The Gulf of Maine is among the fastest warming water bodies in the world. How will you support Maine fisheries communities in adapting to these changes, and what role do federal agencies (like NOAA) and local organizations have in monitoring and managing fish stocks?

I grew up in a lobster fishing community and have spent much of my life working with the people most in touch with ocean ecosystems — fishermen. And I have witnessed and heard firsthand about the impacts fishermen are seeing from a changing climate. Fishermen and coastal communities support sound science that helps us monitor changes, understand the impacts we are seeing, and prepare for the changes to come.

Maine’s lobster fishery is sustainably managed, but not immune to a changing climate and warming waters. I served on my local Lobster Management Zone Council and consistently fought for practical, common-sense management in partnership with fishing communities. As Speaker of the Maine House and leader of Maine’s storm recovery efforts over the last several years, I have worked to protect working waterfronts and ensure fishermen had a seat at the table. Scientists, fishermen, and leaders of coastal and island communities need to be active participants in data collection as we work collectively to manage fishing stocks, monitor climate-driven changes, and work to understand the impacts on our fishermen and communities in the years to come. This includes state and federal leaders, from NOAA, to the Department of Marine Resources, to fishermen scientists.

Q3 Natural Resources: Maine is “Vacationland,” renowned for its natural resources that draw in millions of visitors per year. What policies, if any, do you support or envision in managing land-based resources in Maine (i.e. water, open-space preserves, parks) and how will you balance conservation with economic development in Maine’s natural resource sectors?

Maine’s natural lands, clean waters, and natural resources are the foundation of who we are, our economy, and why we love Maine. As governor, I’ll protect these resources, strengthen rural communities and our essential heritage industries, like fishing, farming, and forestry, and ensure that future economic opportunities complement our goals to protect our natural resources. As a lifelong champion of Maine’s Land for Maine’s Future program, I will work to grow our efforts to protect both recreational and working lands, including farmland, forests, and waterfronts. We’ll also increase our climate resilience efforts, ensuring that we are protecting those areas that protect communities from flooding, enhance valuable watersheds and drinking water, and increase our ability to withstand extreme weather like storms and droughts.

I’ll also increase efforts to partner Maine’s conservation, housing, and sustainable economic opportunities — ensuring that we are both protecting the lands that drive our economy, but also ensuring that Maine people can afford to stay in this state and find housing and good-paying job opportunities that allow them to do that.

Q5 Data centers: Data centers bring promises of economic development, but also rising electricity costs and property taxes that directly affect local communities and workers already rooted here. If elected, would you support lifting or extending the current moratorium, and if lifting it, what policies would you implement to ensure large energy users don’t increase costs for Maine households and commit to local hiring?

Maine does not have a data center moratorium in place, but I have called for a moratorium on new AI data centers until strong protections are in place to safeguard Maine’s environment, water resources, communities, electric grid, and energy ratepayers. Maine people cannot afford increased energy costs or environmental damage to line the pockets of big AI tech companies.

Maine should establish the strongest standards in the country that ensure that any future development provides clear benefits to our state, communities, and ratepayers without compromising our state’s natural resources.

Q8 [OPTIONAL] Coastal flooding and real estate: As Maine communities face risks from coastal flooding and severe storms, how should the state support residents, municipalities, and property owners in planning for and reducing flood-related damage?

We’ve already seen the impact of severe weather events on our coastal and inland communities, but we’ve also shown our ability to adapt and rebuild stronger after destructive weather. Following the devastating winter storms in 2023 and 2024, I led the work to pass the largest storm recovery package in state history, helping to rebuild our coastal communities and better prepare them for the future. I also helped start the Community Resilience Partnership program, funding more than 250 Maine communities who were seeking to develop local action plans. I believe the state should be a strong partner in helping communities prepare for these challenges. As governor, I will continue to strengthen the Resilience Partnership Program and the Maine Office of Community Affairs, which I helped start, to ensure that it serves as an essential one-stop shop for municipalities’ needs.

It’s important to help homeowners access resources for flood mitigation. Protecting Maine’s coastline also means preserving the working waterfronts and natural resources that support our economy and way of life. Decisions about coastal resilience should be guided by science, shaped by local communities, and focused on long-term solutions that safeguard both people and the environment.

Q2 Fishing industry: The Gulf of Maine is among the fastest warming water bodies in the world. How will you support Maine fisheries communities in adapting to these changes, and what role do federal agencies (like NOAA) and local organizations have in monitoring and managing fish stocks?

As Governor, I will trust science and provide the necessary leadership to rally people toward a common goal of sustaining Maine’s fisheries and the communities that depend on them. The people who know this issue best are the fishermen who work it every day. Adaptation has to be built with them, not imposed on them. Maine’s research institutions and fishing organizations should be full partners in collecting the data, because management works best when the people on the water trust the numbers and help produce them.

In the face of climate change, we must make waterfront infrastructure funding permanent. The $22 million the state put toward rebuilding harbors after the January 2024 storms cannot be a one-time appropriation. I will fund the Working Waterfront Access Protection Program on an ongoing basis rather than through occasional bonds, so wharves stay in commercial fishing hands. And to help diversify risk, I will make sustainable aquaculture permitting predictable and timely, and invest in processing here, so Maine captures more of the value from our fishing industry instead of shipping raw product out of state.

Q3 Natural Resources: Maine is “Vacationland,” renowned for its natural resources that draw in millions of visitors per year. What policies, if any, do you support or envision in managing land-based resources in Maine (i.e. water, open-space preserves, parks) and how will you balance conservation with economic development in Maine’s natural resource sectors?

Maine’s environment belongs to all of us and we belong to it. It’s the foundation of our health, our livelihood, and our identity. As Governor, I will treat environmental stewardship as both a life sustaining imperative and economic strategy. Outdoor recreation generates $3.9 billion in annual GDP. Tourism drives a $16.3 billion impact. Our forest products industry contributes $8.5 billion. Every one of those numbers depends on clean water, intact forests, and working lands.

Yet the four agencies that protect those assets receive roughly one cent of every dollar Maine spends. As Governor, I will fully resource them, with budgets that reflect what we ask of them and salaries that keep experienced scientists, foresters, and rangers on the job. I will protect clean water and reduce pollution, keep forests intact and habitats connected, and build climate resilience. I will invest in state parks and trails after years of underinvestment. I will protect working farmland while steering new homes toward village centers, so Maine grows food and builds houses at once. I will keep working-forests working, storing carbon, and open to recreation.

Q5 Data centers: Data centers bring promises of economic development, but also rising electricity costs and property taxes that directly affect local communities and workers already rooted here. If elected, would you support lifting or extending the current moratorium, and if lifting it, what policies would you implement to ensure large energy users don’t increase costs for Maine households and commit to local hiring?

There is no moratorium on data centers in Maine today. The Legislature passed one, and I supported it, because Maine needs the time to plan for this deliberately rather than react project by project. Governor Mills vetoed it.

Maine needs to be extremely cautious about data centers regarding water use and pollution potential as well impacts on electricity costs and the host communities. That said, some projects may make sense if they can plug into existing grid capacity, that improves grid utilization rather than straining it, and that doesn’t push costs onto residential ratepayers or negatively impact the community. Maine needs time to develop a real framework for how to address data centers and their impact.

Q6 Technology/Infrastructure: What role should local communities play in decisions about large infrastructure or technology projects, on land or in the ocean, and how should the state ensure that economic benefits from new technologies stay in local communities?

Maine has a long tradition of local control, and that tradition should guide how we handle large infrastructure and technology projects, on land or in the ocean. Town meetings decide zoning. Select boards weigh in on major development. That local voice is not an obstacle to progress; it is how Maine protects its own interests.

Too often, Maine has let outside companies write the terms and take the value, while Maine communities absorb the costs and the risk. I want to change that dynamic. As Governor, I will make sure the State and host communities negotiate from a position of strength. That means real technical support so a small town isn’t outmatched by a developer’s legal team, and it means the State backing communities up when they say no, not pressuring them to say yes.

Keeping the benefits here means insisting on it up front: local hiring, local ownership where possible, and terms that put Maine’s long-term interest ahead of a company’s quarterly earnings. Maine has given too much away for too long. That changes with me.

Q7 [OPTIONAL] Rural economy: What policies would you support to strengthen rural economies in Maine, including through workforce development, infrastructure investment, and emerging sectors such as clean energy or tech?

Our rural farms, forests, and outdoor economy are Maine’s competitive advantage and the reason many people build a life here. A job only works if the life around it is affordable, so my plans to lower housing, child care, health care, and energy costs are part of this agenda.

I will rebuild guaranteed markets connecting Maine farms to schools, food banks, and hospitals, and invest in the cold storage and processing that let farms sell at scale. I will build the East Coast’s first mass timber factory with a $50 million bond, so Maine wood becomes Maine building panels. I will turn low-value wood into packaging and jet fuel, and Maine research into Maine companies. I’ll make rural Maine a place clean energy gets built, with predictable permitting and real revenue for host towns. I will give every business one point of contact instead of a maze of agencies, and launch a growth fund that widens access to capital. I will fund state parks and trails so recreation spending stays local. And I will expand Career and Technical Education and paid apprenticeships while building what rural Maine runs on: reliable roads, universal broadband, and modern water and energy systems.

Q9 [OPTIONAL] Automation, AI and the workforce: As automation and artificial intelligence reshape the labor market, what policies would you support to help Mainers adapt to changes in the workplace and access new job opportunities?

Maine should get ahead of this change instead of reacting after people lose their jobs. Maine’s Department of Labor expects the biggest impacts in administrative, computer, and clerical work, and the jobs least at risk are ones Maine is already short of: skilled trades, direct patient care, and work that requires human judgment. That overlap is Maine’s opportunity, if we act early.

I will charge a refocused Department of Enterprise and Economic Development with tracking AI-driven job disruption in real time and steering training dollars where the gap opens next. I will build a rapid retraining fund through Maine’s community colleges for workers in the industries most likely to be disrupted, so a displaced workers land in new work, not out of work. I will embed AI literacy in our schools and adult education so the next generation graduates ready for the workplace they will enter.

And I will put people first as employers adopt these tools. Workers deserve notice when AI is used in hiring, scheduling, or layoffs. No Mainer should be fired by an algorithm without meaningful human review. Used right, AI should augment Maine workers and make state services faster and simpler, not replace the people behind them.

Q10 [OPTIONAL] Demographics and the workforce: Given Maine’s aging population, what policies would you support to attract, train, and retain workers in key sectors such as STEM, health care, and skilled trades, while ensuring older residents have access to needed services?

Affordability is workforce policy. Maine has the oldest population in the country and a workforce tightening at exactly the moment employers need it to grow. A job offer only works if the life around it is affordable, which is why lowering the cost of housing, child care, health care, and energy is the core of my agenda. I will also fix the benefit rules that punish a working parent for earning a raise, so more work always means more money in the family budget.

I will aim Maine’s training dollars, scholarships, and tuition assistance squarely at the careers Maine cannot do without: the electricians and carpenters who build our homes, the nurses who keep care close to home, and the teachers in every classroom. I will expand Career and Technical Education so no student waits for a seat, make paid apprenticeships a central pathway, and scale what already works, like Jobs for Maine’s Graduates and Bridge Academy Maine. And I will give every job seeker one point of contact for jobs, training, and housing, with recruitment that reaches beyond New England to people who want the life Maine offers.

For older Mainers, I will provide targeted property tax relief so no one is taxed out of their home, expand telehealth, and defend the rural hospitals and clinics under threat from federal cuts.

Q2 Fishing industry: The Gulf of Maine is among the fastest warming water bodies in the world. How will you support Maine fisheries communities in adapting to these changes, and what role do federal agencies (like NOAA) and local organizations have in monitoring and managing fish stocks?

I grew up in a lobster fishing community and have spent much of my life working with the people most in touch with ocean ecosystems — fishermen. And I have witnessed and heard firsthand about the impacts fishermen are seeing from a changing climate. Fishermen and coastal communities support sound science that helps us monitor changes, understand the impacts we are seeing, and prepare for the changes to come.

Maine’s lobster fishery is sustainably managed, but not immune to a changing climate and warming waters. I served on my local Lobster Management Zone Council and consistently fought for practical, common-sense management in partnership with fishing communities. As Speaker of the Maine House and leader of Maine’s storm recovery efforts over the last several years, I have worked to protect working waterfronts and ensure fishermen had a seat at the table. Scientists, fishermen, and leaders of coastal and island communities need to be active participants in data collection as we work collectively to manage fishing stocks, monitor climate-driven changes, and work to understand the impacts on our fishermen and communities in the years to come. This includes state and federal leaders, from NOAA, to the Department of Marine Resources, to fishermen scientists.

Q3 Natural Resources: Maine is “Vacationland,” renowned for its natural resources that draw in millions of visitors per year. What policies, if any, do you support or envision in managing land-based resources in Maine (i.e. water, open-space preserves, parks) and how will you balance conservation with economic development in Maine’s natural resource sectors?

Maine’s natural lands, clean waters, and natural resources are the foundation of who we are, our economy, and why we love Maine. As governor, I’ll protect these resources, strengthen rural communities and our essential heritage industries, like fishing, farming, and forestry, and ensure that future economic opportunities complement our goals to protect our natural resources. As a lifelong champion of Maine’s Land for Maine’s Future program, I will work to grow our efforts to protect both recreational and working lands, including farmland, forests, and waterfronts. We’ll also increase our climate resilience efforts, ensuring that we are protecting those areas that protect communities from flooding, enhance valuable watersheds and drinking water, and increase our ability to withstand extreme weather like storms and droughts.

I’ll also increase efforts to partner Maine’s conservation, housing, and sustainable economic opportunities — ensuring that we are both protecting the lands that drive our economy, but also ensuring that Maine people can afford to stay in this state and find housing and good-paying job opportunities that allow them to do that.

Q5 Data centers: Data centers bring promises of economic development, but also rising electricity costs and property taxes that directly affect local communities and workers already rooted here. If elected, would you support lifting or extending the current moratorium, and if lifting it, what policies would you implement to ensure large energy users don’t increase costs for Maine households and commit to local hiring?

Maine does not have a data center moratorium in place, but I have called for a moratorium on new AI data centers until strong protections are in place to safeguard Maine’s environment, water resources, communities, electric grid, and energy ratepayers. Maine people cannot afford increased energy costs or environmental damage to line the pockets of big AI tech companies.

Maine should establish the strongest standards in the country that ensure that any future development provides clear benefits to our state, communities, and ratepayers without compromising our state’s natural resources.

Q6 Technology/Infrastructure: What role should local communities play in decisions about large infrastructure or technology projects, on land or in the ocean, and how should the state ensure that economic benefits from new technologies stay in local communities?

Local communities deserve a meaningful seat at the table when decisions are made about major infrastructure projects, including clean energy, other substantial infrastructure, or economic development projects. Through true and sustained engagement, transparency, and required community benefits agreements, projects can demonstrate their value to the state and a community. State policy can and should require that framework for major projects and should support good processes and benefits for communities.

Q7 [OPTIONAL] Rural economy: What policies would you support to strengthen rural economies in Maine, including through workforce development, infrastructure investment, and emerging sectors such as clean energy or tech?

Too many communities in Maine, especially in our rural areas, have watched jobs leave without replacement, watched young people move away without a reason to come back, and watched the state government feel distant and indifferent. I refuse to accept that. Every corner of this state deserves the tools to build a future that works for the people who live there.

State leaders must work for and support small businesses, especially in rural areas that may not have the same partners and infrastructure as our more urban areas. I will simplify and accelerate permitting processes to allow businesses and housing projects to proceed faster. I will create a Rural Opportunities & Growth Partnership to drive targeted investments that create locally-driven economic opportunities, from farming to forest products manufacturing. I will create a State Resilience Bank to finance critical infrastructure, especially in rural and underserved communities. I’ll also help connect rural communities digitally by completing broadband and wireless expansion. When our rural communities succeed, all of Maine thrives.

Q9 [OPTIONAL] Automation, AI and the workforce: As automation and artificial intelligence reshape the labor market, what policies would you support to help Mainers adapt to changes in the workplace and access new job opportunities?

Artificial intelligence promises advances and savings, but also threatens essential tenets of our economy and communities. I have laid out plans and advocated for a “people-first” AI strategy designed to ensure that rapid technological advancements serve to strengthen, rather than diminish, Maine’s workforce, education system, and economy. I will advance policies that protect worker rights, protect privacy, improve job quality, and guarantee that innovation benefits local communities rather than just corporate bottom lines.

Q10 [OPTIONAL] Demographics and the workforce: Given Maine’s aging population, what policies would you support to attract, train, and retain workers in key sectors such as STEM, health care, and skilled trades, while ensuring older residents have access to needed services?

Maine’s future depends on our ability to attract and retain a strong, skilled workforce. One of the greatest obstacles to that is housing, which is why I’ve made investing in housing production and affordability central to my campaign. I will strengthen education and workforce training programs for all Mainers to prepare people for careers in health care, STEM, education, and the skilled trades.

A strong workforce is essential to meeting the needs of an aging population, and making Maine an affordable, healthy place to live helps attract workers and families of all ages. By investing in people and communities, Maine can grow its workforce while ensuring every generation has the opportunity to thrive.

Q1 Cost of fuel and heating: Maine has among the highest electricity costs in the country given the lack of local production options. What might be your approach to lowering energy costs for Mainers while considering alternative energy options such as renewables?

Electricity costs are too expensive for Mainers. As Governor, I will lower energy costs four ways. First, right-size utility profits by lowering the authorized return on equity, so ratepayers stop subsidizing shareholder gains. Second, lower energy costs for Maine’s manufacturers and heritage industries through negotiated rate contracts tied to jobs and investment. Third, help Mainers conserve energy and increase efficiency through weatherization and heat pumps, because the cheapest energy is the energy we don’t use. Fourth, create a Maine Generation Authority so ratepayers benefit from Maine’s renewable energy potential instead of out-of-state energy users and shareholders.

Renewable power built here and owned here keeps our energy dollars in Maine and lowers costs over the long run, which in turns helps make the case for electrification. Pairing that generation with grid modernization and storage keeps it reliable. Affordability comes first, and locally controlled clean power is how we get there.

Q3 Natural Resources: Maine is “Vacationland,” renowned for its natural resources that draw in millions of visitors per year. What policies, if any, do you support or envision in managing land-based resources in Maine (i.e. water, open-space preserves, parks) and how will you balance conservation with economic development in Maine’s natural resource sectors?

Maine’s environment belongs to all of us and we belong to it. It’s the foundation of our health, our livelihood, and our identity. As Governor, I will treat environmental stewardship as both a life sustaining imperative and economic strategy. Outdoor recreation generates $3.9 billion in annual GDP. Tourism drives a $16.3 billion impact. Our forest products industry contributes $8.5 billion. Every one of those numbers depends on clean water, intact forests, and working lands.

Yet the four agencies that protect those assets receive roughly one cent of every dollar Maine spends. As Governor, I will fully resource them, with budgets that reflect what we ask of them and salaries that keep experienced scientists, foresters, and rangers on the job. I will protect clean water and reduce pollution, keep forests intact and habitats connected, and build climate resilience. I will invest in state parks and trails after years of underinvestment. I will protect working farmland while steering new homes toward village centers, so Maine grows food and builds houses at once. I will keep working-forests working, storing carbon, and open to recreation.

Q6 Technology/Infrastructure: What role should local communities play in decisions about large infrastructure or technology projects, on land or in the ocean, and how should the state ensure that economic benefits from new technologies stay in local communities?

Maine has a long tradition of local control, and that tradition should guide how we handle large infrastructure and technology projects, on land or in the ocean. Town meetings decide zoning. Select boards weigh in on major development. That local voice is not an obstacle to progress; it is how Maine protects its own interests.

Too often, Maine has let outside companies write the terms and take the value, while Maine communities absorb the costs and the risk. I want to change that dynamic. As Governor, I will make sure the State and host communities negotiate from a position of strength. That means real technical support so a small town isn’t outmatched by a developer’s legal team, and it means the State backing communities up when they say no, not pressuring them to say yes.

Keeping the benefits here means insisting on it up front: local hiring, local ownership where possible, and terms that put Maine’s long-term interest ahead of a company’s quarterly earnings. Maine has given too much away for too long. That changes with me.

Q7 [OPTIONAL] Rural economy: What policies would you support to strengthen rural economies in Maine, including through workforce development, infrastructure investment, and emerging sectors such as clean energy or tech?

Our rural farms, forests, and outdoor economy are Maine’s competitive advantage and the reason many people build a life here. A job only works if the life around it is affordable, so my plans to lower housing, child care, health care, and energy costs are part of this agenda.

I will rebuild guaranteed markets connecting Maine farms to schools, food banks, and hospitals, and invest in the cold storage and processing that let farms sell at scale. I will build the East Coast’s first mass timber factory with a $50 million bond, so Maine wood becomes Maine building panels. I will turn low-value wood into packaging and jet fuel, and Maine research into Maine companies. I’ll make rural Maine a place clean energy gets built, with predictable permitting and real revenue for host towns. I will give every business one point of contact instead of a maze of agencies, and launch a growth fund that widens access to capital. I will fund state parks and trails so recreation spending stays local. And I will expand Career and Technical Education and paid apprenticeships while building what rural Maine runs on: reliable roads, universal broadband, and modern water and energy systems.

Q10 [OPTIONAL] Demographics and the workforce: Given Maine’s aging population, what policies would you support to attract, train, and retain workers in key sectors such as STEM, health care, and skilled trades, while ensuring older residents have access to needed services?

Affordability is workforce policy. Maine has the oldest population in the country and a workforce tightening at exactly the moment employers need it to grow. A job offer only works if the life around it is affordable, which is why lowering the cost of housing, child care, health care, and energy is the core of my agenda. I will also fix the benefit rules that punish a working parent for earning a raise, so more work always means more money in the family budget.

I will aim Maine’s training dollars, scholarships, and tuition assistance squarely at the careers Maine cannot do without: the electricians and carpenters who build our homes, the nurses who keep care close to home, and the teachers in every classroom. I will expand Career and Technical Education so no student waits for a seat, make paid apprenticeships a central pathway, and scale what already works, like Jobs for Maine’s Graduates and Bridge Academy Maine. And I will give every job seeker one point of contact for jobs, training, and housing, with recruitment that reaches beyond New England to people who want the life Maine offers.

For older Mainers, I will provide targeted property tax relief so no one is taxed out of their home, expand telehealth, and defend the rural hospitals and clinics under threat from federal cuts.

Q1 Cost of fuel and heating: Maine has among the highest electricity costs in the country given the lack of local production options. What might be your approach to lowering energy costs for Mainers while considering alternative energy options such as renewables?

The goals of reducing our emissions to meet our climate goals and lowering the cost of power for Maine people are both urgent and within reach with the right policies and action. As Governor, I will hold our state’s largest utilities accountable and ensure that we are putting Maine ratepayers first. I’ll force the Public Utilities Commission to use every tool available to drive down electricity bills, including requirements that we incentivize utilities when customer bills go down, not up; facilitate electrification and home energy efficiency programs that bring down rates; maximize grid utilization to get the most out of the infrastructure we’ve already paid for; and ensure that needed investments to modernize the grid and make it more resilient are made with the lowest-cost financing available.

Maine should invest in clean, locally-produced low-cost renewable energy that supports Maine jobs and energy independence while lowering costs for ratepayers. I will support responsibly-sited clean energy that benefits communities and reform outdated permitting processes to build and connect clean energy projects faster.

Q3 Natural Resources: Maine is “Vacationland,” renowned for its natural resources that draw in millions of visitors per year. What policies, if any, do you support or envision in managing land-based resources in Maine (i.e. water, open-space preserves, parks) and how will you balance conservation with economic development in Maine’s natural resource sectors?

Maine’s natural lands, clean waters, and natural resources are the foundation of who we are, our economy, and why we love Maine. As governor, I’ll protect these resources, strengthen rural communities and our essential heritage industries, like fishing, farming, and forestry, and ensure that future economic opportunities complement our goals to protect our natural resources. As a lifelong champion of Maine’s Land for Maine’s Future program, I will work to grow our efforts to protect both recreational and working lands, including farmland, forests, and waterfronts. We’ll also increase our climate resilience efforts, ensuring that we are protecting those areas that protect communities from flooding, enhance valuable watersheds and drinking water, and increase our ability to withstand extreme weather like storms and droughts.

I’ll also increase efforts to partner Maine’s conservation, housing, and sustainable economic opportunities — ensuring that we are both protecting the lands that drive our economy, but also ensuring that Maine people can afford to stay in this state and find housing and good-paying job opportunities that allow them to do that.

Q6 Technology/Infrastructure: What role should local communities play in decisions about large infrastructure or technology projects, on land or in the ocean, and how should the state ensure that economic benefits from new technologies stay in local communities?

Local communities deserve a meaningful seat at the table when decisions are made about major infrastructure projects, including clean energy, other substantial infrastructure, or economic development projects. Through true and sustained engagement, transparency, and required community benefits agreements, projects can demonstrate their value to the state and a community. State policy can and should require that framework for major projects and should support good processes and benefits for communities.

Q7 [OPTIONAL] Rural economy: What policies would you support to strengthen rural economies in Maine, including through workforce development, infrastructure investment, and emerging sectors such as clean energy or tech?

Too many communities in Maine, especially in our rural areas, have watched jobs leave without replacement, watched young people move away without a reason to come back, and watched the state government feel distant and indifferent. I refuse to accept that. Every corner of this state deserves the tools to build a future that works for the people who live there.

State leaders must work for and support small businesses, especially in rural areas that may not have the same partners and infrastructure as our more urban areas. I will simplify and accelerate permitting processes to allow businesses and housing projects to proceed faster. I will create a Rural Opportunities & Growth Partnership to drive targeted investments that create locally-driven economic opportunities, from farming to forest products manufacturing. I will create a State Resilience Bank to finance critical infrastructure, especially in rural and underserved communities. I’ll also help connect rural communities digitally by completing broadband and wireless expansion. When our rural communities succeed, all of Maine thrives.

Q10 [OPTIONAL] Demographics and the workforce: Given Maine’s aging population, what policies would you support to attract, train, and retain workers in key sectors such as STEM, health care, and skilled trades, while ensuring older residents have access to needed services?

Maine’s future depends on our ability to attract and retain a strong, skilled workforce. One of the greatest obstacles to that is housing, which is why I’ve made investing in housing production and affordability central to my campaign. I will strengthen education and workforce training programs for all Mainers to prepare people for careers in health care, STEM, education, and the skilled trades.

A strong workforce is essential to meeting the needs of an aging population, and making Maine an affordable, healthy place to live helps attract workers and families of all ages. By investing in people and communities, Maine can grow its workforce while ensuring every generation has the opportunity to thrive.

Q4 Public Health: Substance abuse is a concern in Maine. What evidence-based approaches would you take to support improving community and preventative health for your constituents, particularly in areas such as substance use, addiction, and access to care?

The evidence says prevention and treatment work and are far cheaper than crisis response. States that invested in coordinated primary and behavioral health care saw hospital and emergency spending fall dramatically. As Governor, I will end the disparity that treats behavioral health, including addiction care, as a second-tier system. That means fair MaineCare reimbursement so providers keep taking patients, telehealth so geography is not a barrier, and supportive housing so people don’t cycle through ERs and jails. I will get the right response to the right crisis: mobile crisis teams, crisis receiving centers, and co-response models that pair officers with substance abuse professionals, so clinicians lead where clinical care is needed. And I will pursue the federal waiver allowing MaineCare treatment coverage in county jails, so recovery starts before release, not after relapse.

This has long been a priority of mine. I was instrumental in securing the votes to dedicate ongoing state revenue to community substance use recovery centers. I co-sponsored expanded Good Samaritan protections, because no one should hesitate to call for help during an overdose.

Q10 [OPTIONAL] Demographics and the workforce: Given Maine’s aging population, what policies would you support to attract, train, and retain workers in key sectors such as STEM, health care, and skilled trades, while ensuring older residents have access to needed services?

Affordability is workforce policy. Maine has the oldest population in the country and a workforce tightening at exactly the moment employers need it to grow. A job offer only works if the life around it is affordable, which is why lowering the cost of housing, child care, health care, and energy is the core of my agenda. I will also fix the benefit rules that punish a working parent for earning a raise, so more work always means more money in the family budget.

I will aim Maine’s training dollars, scholarships, and tuition assistance squarely at the careers Maine cannot do without: the electricians and carpenters who build our homes, the nurses who keep care close to home, and the teachers in every classroom. I will expand Career and Technical Education so no student waits for a seat, make paid apprenticeships a central pathway, and scale what already works, like Jobs for Maine’s Graduates and Bridge Academy Maine. And I will give every job seeker one point of contact for jobs, training, and housing, with recruitment that reaches beyond New England to people who want the life Maine offers.

For older Mainers, I will provide targeted property tax relief so no one is taxed out of their home, expand telehealth, and defend the rural hospitals and clinics under threat from federal cuts.

Q4 Public Health: Substance abuse is a concern in Maine. What evidence-based approaches would you take to support improving community and preventative health for your constituents, particularly in areas such as substance use, addiction, and access to care?

As Director of the Governor’s Office of Policy Innovation and the Future, I worked in close partnership with Maine’s recovery cabinet and its leader, Gordon Smith, who worked to rapidly ramp up our efforts to save lives through prevention, treatment, and recovery programs across the state, reducing fatal overdoses, improving access to treatment including rehab beds and peer support, and growing a broad coalition across the state dedicated to saving lives and supporting recovery.

While new federal cuts threaten both health care access and Maine’s recovery community, we must ensure the safety net is protected, especially for those seeking treatment. As Governor, I will expand access to affordable, quality health care.

I’ll also support new models to ensure access in rural areas and improve access to mental health care, especially in rural Maine. Using money from opioid settlement funds and the Rural Health Transformation grant, we can boost our health care workforce and support access to substance use care and mental health care at an urgent time. I will support the network of recovery centers, coaches and peer-support programs, and resources like community liaisons that are saving lives. And I’ll redouble our efforts to support prevention, especially for Maine’s youth.

Q10 [OPTIONAL] Demographics and the workforce: Given Maine’s aging population, what policies would you support to attract, train, and retain workers in key sectors such as STEM, health care, and skilled trades, while ensuring older residents have access to needed services?

Maine’s future depends on our ability to attract and retain a strong, skilled workforce. One of the greatest obstacles to that is housing, which is why I’ve made investing in housing production and affordability central to my campaign. I will strengthen education and workforce training programs for all Mainers to prepare people for careers in health care, STEM, education, and the skilled trades.

A strong workforce is essential to meeting the needs of an aging population, and making Maine an affordable, healthy place to live helps attract workers and families of all ages. By investing in people and communities, Maine can grow its workforce while ensuring every generation has the opportunity to thrive.

Q6 Technology/Infrastructure: What role should local communities play in decisions about large infrastructure or technology projects, on land or in the ocean, and how should the state ensure that economic benefits from new technologies stay in local communities?

Maine has a long tradition of local control, and that tradition should guide how we handle large infrastructure and technology projects, on land or in the ocean. Town meetings decide zoning. Select boards weigh in on major development. That local voice is not an obstacle to progress; it is how Maine protects its own interests.

Too often, Maine has let outside companies write the terms and take the value, while Maine communities absorb the costs and the risk. I want to change that dynamic. As Governor, I will make sure the State and host communities negotiate from a position of strength. That means real technical support so a small town isn’t outmatched by a developer’s legal team, and it means the State backing communities up when they say no, not pressuring them to say yes.

Keeping the benefits here means insisting on it up front: local hiring, local ownership where possible, and terms that put Maine’s long-term interest ahead of a company’s quarterly earnings. Maine has given too much away for too long. That changes with me.

Q6 Technology/Infrastructure: What role should local communities play in decisions about large infrastructure or technology projects, on land or in the ocean, and how should the state ensure that economic benefits from new technologies stay in local communities?

Local communities deserve a meaningful seat at the table when decisions are made about major infrastructure projects, including clean energy, other substantial infrastructure, or economic development projects. Through true and sustained engagement, transparency, and required community benefits agreements, projects can demonstrate their value to the state and a community. State policy can and should require that framework for major projects and should support good processes and benefits for communities.