Politics
Our political journalists are based in the Maine State House and have deep source networks across the partisan spectrum in communities all over the state. Their coverage aims to cut through major debates and probe how officials make decisions. Read more Politics coverage here.
A new poll shows former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson tied with former public health chief Nirav Shah in the Democratic gubernatorial primary, while lawyer Bobby Charles continues to command a solid lead among a field of seven Republicans.
Jackson and Shah were tied at 28% as the first choice in a survey of almost 600 likely Democratic primary voters by the University of New Hampshire released Wednesday. The poll marked an improvement for Jackson, whom UNH tracked in third place in February behind Shah and Secretary of State Shenna Bellows.
It’s also the first time in a series of recent polls that any candidate came within striking distance of Shah in the first round. A mix of internal and public polls have consistently shown him with the lead with the rest of the field revolving between the top and bottom of the list..
Bellows and former state House Speaker Hannah Pingree received 13% and 12% first-choice votes, respectively, in the new poll. Former energy executive Angus King III, the son of Maine’s junior senator picked up 7% support in the UNH poll after being second in one released last week by Pan Atlantic Research,
Jackson, Bellows and Pingree recently formed a ranked-choice alliance. They also have the backing of U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner, who ranked Jackson first, followed by Bellows and Pingree. The survey found support for Jackson higher among independents, socialists, progressives, younger voters and those in northern Maine.
When BDN shines a light, policymakers act. Make a gift to help our reporters keep Maine’s leaders informed. Make a donation now.
Shah had higher support among liberals, moderates and those 65 and older. He is still the most popular candidate, with 60% saying they had a favorable opinion of him. Trailing were Bellows at 46%, Jackson 45% and Pingree 39%.
Bellows was named most among likely primary voters’ second choice at 29%, followed by Pingree at 23%, Shah at 20%, Jackson at 14% and King at 6%. More than half of King supporters say Shah is their second choice, while a plurality of Pingree and Bellows supporters would name either candidate as their second pick.
Meanwhile, with a grassroots and social media-driven campaign that’s spending far less than several of his rivals, Charles remains the man to beat among Republicans. Roughly 37% of likely primary voters named the former U.S. State Department official as their top choice.
Entrepreneur Jonathan Bush trailed with 18% support, still an improvement from February when the UNH poll showed him with just 5%. Former fitness executive Ben Midgley also improved in recent months, from 6% to 11%. Former state Senate Majority Leader Garrett Mason dipped slightly to 9% support from 12% in February.
The rest of the crowded field looked to be out of range. Real estate executive David Jones remained steady at 7%, while businessman Robert Wessels and entrepreneur Owen McCarthy saw small upticks to 6% and 2%, respectively.
More than 4 in 10 Republican primary voters had a favorable view of Charles. That made him the most popular in the field, even though some in his own party worry about his chances in a general election in a Democratic-leaning state. Midgley and Mason were also viewed favorably. Though Bush rose in overall support, likely primary voters had a net negative opinion of him.
Midgley, who formed a ranked-choice alliance with Jones, was the top second choice at 18%, followed by Bush at 13%. More than half of Bush supporters and 48% of Charles backers say they have no second choice. Charles has routinely criticized the ranked-choice system.
