Maine Democrat Gov. Mills to Seek 2nd Term

Maine's Democrat governor announced Tuesday she will seek a second term in office.

The announcement from Janet Mills sets up a possible contest against former Gov. Paul LePage, a Republican and a rival of Mills when she served as the attorney general. Mills became the first female governor in Maine history after she was elected in 2018.

That was also the final year of LePage's second term, but he decided last year that he would seek a return to office. The Maine Constitution limits a governor to two consecutive terms, but they can run again after sitting out a term. LePage has emerged as the leading Republican candidate this time around.

The race will be on the national radar in a year in which Democrat governors and lawmakers face tough reelection battles throughout the country. Mills has served as the state's governor for the entirety of the COVID-19 pandemic and has led the state in a time when Democrats control both houses of the Maine Legislature.

The announcement from Mills that she is seeking reelection was not a surprise. She has been raising money for months in anticipation of a race for a second term. As of January, she had raised more than $1.6 million, while LePage had raised a little less than $900,000.