BRUNSWICK – U.S. Senator Angus King has endorsed Governor Janet Mills for reelection.
Senator King – who served two terms as Maine’s independent governor – applauded Governor Mills’ bipartisan, consensus-driven approach to governing, including her work to bring Democrats, Republicans, and Independents together to solve problems for Maine people.
He also applauded the Governor’s work to strengthen Maine’s economy, deliver nation-leading inflation relief, expand health care, invest in education, and protect the lives and livelihoods of Maine people during the pandemic.
“Governor Mills confronted one of the most difficult challenges Maine has ever faced with the pandemic, and I believe that her strong, decisive, and empathetic leadership saved the lives and livelihoods of countless Maine people,” said Senator Angus King. “What I like most about her is that she’s not partisan. She takes good ideas from everybody, and she brings people together to solve problems without drama and without partisan brawls. The results speak for themselves: strong economic growth, more people with health care, more funding for education, and one of the best inflation relief measures in the country. That’s the type of good, independent leadership that Maine deserves, and it’s why I hope Maine people will join me in voting to send her back for another four years.”
“Senator King shares my approach to governing – that we should be fighting problems, not people. I believe that no one has a monopoly on good ideas, which is why I have worked hard during my time in office to hear all ideas, to bring people together to reach consensus, and to solve problems,” said Governor Janet Mills. I am grateful for the Senator’s support, and if I am fortunate enough to earn a second term, I will continue to do all I can to put politics aside and put Maine people first.”
In the past three years, Governor Mills has led Maine through a public health crisis and a strong economic recovery, achieving some of the best results in the nation.
According to Maine’s Department of Economic and Community Development, Maine’s GDP – a measure of economic growth – has grown the 11th fastest in the nation over the past three years under Governor Mills, exceeding the nation’s economic growth and far surpassing economic growth under Paul LePage. Maine’s unemployment rate has also fallen to 3.1 percent, putting it below the U.S. and New England unemployment rates. Maine’s population grew at the fastest rate in New England last year and seventh fastest in the nation.
Maine’s credit ratings were reaffirmed during the pandemic, and Maine’s Rainy Day Fund is at its highest level ever. Maine was also in the top ten of states (and the only Democratic-led state) in responding to the pandemic, according to a study written by conservative economists.
The Mills Administration, working in a bipartisan manner with the Legislature, has made historic progress on behalf of Maine, including:
- Delivering one of the strongest relief proposals in the country to help with rising costs, sending back more than half of Maine’s surplus to taxpayers through $850 relief checks;
- Expanding health care to nearly 100,000 Maine people;
- Fully funding Maine schools for the first time in history;
- Raising the minimum teacher salary;
- Providing free Community College to pandemic impacted students;
- Delivering an income tax cut to Maine retirees and tax relief to Maine people;
- Conserving working lands and waters through a reinvigorated Land for Maine’s Future Program;
- Connecting thousands of homes and businesses to high-speed internet by expanding broadband;
- Fighting the climate crisis through the Maine Climate Council;
- Combatting property tax increases by fully restoring Municipal Revenue Sharing;
- Enacting balanced budgets that did not increase taxes and returned money to Maine people;
- Increasing the Budget Stabilization Fund to a record high nearly $900 million dollars;
- Spearheading the Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan to strengthen Maine’s economy and solving the state’s long standing workforce shortage;
- And so much more.