The 2026 field of Republican gubernatorial candidates looking to succeed Gov. Janet Mills may still grow, with ex-Maine Senate Majority Leader Garrett Mason recently forming an exploratory committee after being talked about for months as a potential contender.
The “Mason for Maine Exploratory Committee” formed quietly in late October, according to state records, but Mason confirmed Sunday it is a step he is taking to consider joining a gubernatorial field that is already filled with more than a dozen Republicans, Democrats and independents.
Mason said in an interview he does not have a timeline for making a decision but that he will join the race “if the water feels right.” The exploratory effort is about “getting the infrastructure in place” while he continues to talk with and listen to people about different issues, he added.
“I’ve been having a lot of conversations with a lot of people,” Mason said. “I’ve gotten a lot of phone calls encouraging me to run.”
Mason, 40, is a Republican from Lisbon who served in the Maine Senate from 2010 to 2018 and as majority leader for the last four years of his tenure. After he was termed out of office, Mason ran in the 2018 primary for governor and finished second behind businessman Shawn Moody, whom insiders have also mentioned as a figure who may enter next year’s race.
Mason has maintained good relationships with both Republican and Democratic state lawmakers while working as a lobbyist for Dirigo Public Affairs and owning a construction company with his wife. He is a staunch social conservative who spent Sundays campaigning in churches during his 2018 gubernatorial bid and who has consulted for GOP megadonor Thomas Klingenstein, an ally of President Donald Trump.
Mason’s exploratory step mimics a move that other candidates have made before eventually joining the gubernatorial field, with exploratory committees allowed to raise and spend unlimited funds that candidates do not have to disclose until they officially file to run.
The primary elections are set for June 9, 2026.
