Politics
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PORTLAND, Maine — Appearing for the first time alongside his Republican rivals in a TV gubernatorial debate, lawyer Bobby Charles never swayed from his aggressive message of slashing spending and regulations in Augusta.
Again and again when criticized or questioned about his unrealistic push to cut $4 billion out of a state budget that sits at roughly $7 billion and zero out the income tax that provides half of state revenue within four years, Charles fired off a litany of targets he’d address if he reaches the Blaine House.
“You have got to cut income taxes deeply over the next four years,” he said. “You’ve got to cut property taxes by rolling back these mandates. We must go after this.”
Charles has led early primary polls but a handful of other candidates have raised and spent more money and are getting on the airwaves. The rest of the field has focused on him in recent weeks, shaping the month period ahead of the June 9 primary as the candidates seek to take on Democrats and replace outgoing Gov. Janet Mills.
Entrepreneur Jonathan Bush, lobbyist and former state Senate President Garrett Mason and real estate executive David Jones continued their attacks on Charles. They all said his plans were virtually impossible.
Bush, who cofounded the health tech firm athenahealth, said Charles hadn’t run anything for a long time. Mason, noting his work to lower Mainers’ taxes in the Legislature, said Charles doesn’t understand that working across the aisle is crucial to get things done.
“I can stand up here and say I’m going to eliminate $6 billion, $7 billion,” Mason said.
Charles chastised his opponents for not thinking “with some imagination.” He said he would put a “growth task force” together if elected, noting revenue and growth would rise if Mainers can keep more cash in their pockets.
The debate, hosted by the Maine State Chamber of Commerce and News Center Maine, focused on economic issues including health care, housing, child care and energy. The chamber issued a roadmap for Maine this week that calls for lower taxes, permitting reform, energy cost reduction and workforce development.
On MaineCare, Charles echoed many Republicans in calling for work requirements for recipients between 18 and 65 who are able to work and not disabled should not receive benefits Mason went further, saying at least 100,000 Mainers could be taken off the rolls, though he didn’t provide criteria.
On housing, the candidates broadly called for cutting regulations and streamlining permitting. Jones said excessive red tape can add as much as $120,000 to the cost of a single-family home. Charles pushed for property tax exemptions for seniors and first-time homebuyers and called for 80,000 new housing units over ten years. Mason said it wasn’t enough to just build more housing, and called for working with banks and credit unions to expand mortgage access for Mainers.
Energy policy drew broad agreement. Nearly all the candidates criticized solar and wind subsidies, saying they’ve driven up electricity rates for Mainers. Most called for expanded natural gas pipelines, small modular nuclear reactors and increased hydropower.
“I’m fine with renewables as long as they don’t do it on the backs of Maine ratepayers,” former fitness executive Ben Midgley said.
The debate was the third Republican gubernatorial debate in just over a week. Earlier debates were marked by Charles’ absence and ranked-choice voting alliances among the other candidates.
When asked at the debate’s end who won the 2020 presidential election, Charles said, “unfortunately Biden,” an answer repeated in various forms by his rivals on stage.
“Joe Biden was sworn in as president,” Mason said, echoing the words of several appointees of President Donald Trump who have been criticized by Democrats for not acknowledging that Trump lost.
