This story will be updated.
Gov. Janet Mills backed former Maine House Speaker Hannah Pingree in the five-way Democratic primary to succeed her in the Blaine House, trying to swing late momentum toward one of her top allies.
The governor’s support of Pingree has been openly discussed in Democratic circles and signaled publicly in the form of joint campaign events and endorsements from Mills’ siblings. But it wasn’t cemented until Tuesday, when Pingree’s campaign released a video in which Mills calls her “the only candidate for governor whom I trust to never back down.”
“She’s ready to lead on Day One,” Mills said.
It’s the first political play for Mills after she suspended her U.S. Senate campaign last month, effectively ceding the Democratic nomination to political newcomer Graham Platner. Her endorsement is a bet from the Pingree campaign that Mills, even in a weakened political state, can still move a small but crucial voting bloc in the crowded primary.
Former Maine public health chief Nirav Shah has become the frontrunner in the race through strong performances in public and private polls since February, including one released last week by Pingree’s campaign.
He led the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention under Mills, becoming a household name overnight during daily media briefings. Both Shah and Pingree have the strongest ties to Mills among the field. Pingree served as the head of her policy office for seven years.
Former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson has effectively campaigned against the governor at times, noting her opposition to several of his priority bills. Secretary of State Shenna Bellows comes from a more progressive wing of the party than Mills, while former clean energy executive Angus King III is less established in Maine Democratic politics.
