The campaign that Janet Mills has run for this year’s gubernatorial race has been consistent, reliable and honest. This is exactly what Maine needs.
What Maine does not need is a governor who behaves in an aggressive manner and will say just about anything to make his opponent look bad. At the very beginning of the Oct. 27 debate between Mills and her opponent Paul LePage, LePage said that inflation is the most important issue facing the state. He is not wrong, however, that is an issue affecting the whole country, not just Maine. But LePage still went out of his way to say that inflation began in Maine and made its way down to Washington.
LePage went on throughout the debate to place blame on Mills for problems out of her control. He also pointed in her face while she was speaking, interrupting her, and called her a liar. This kind of behavior coming from someone who is running to lead our state is concerning. That is why the best choice for Maine is Mills.
Mills, like many other Mainers, views healthcare as having an essential role in benefiting the lives of Maine residents. One of the first things that Mills did when she got into office was reverse the decision LePage had made as former governor to block Medicaid expansion.
According to maine.gov, over 90,000 Maine people have health care, including preventive care, like cancer screenings, as a result of this health care expansion. On the other hand, LePage was heard voicing his opinions on health care expansion.
“You know how I feel about expanding Medicaid — it’s bad for everybody,” LePage said.
It is terrifying to think about the tens of thousands of Mainers that would lose health insurance if LePage was to be reelected and reverse the work Mills has done.
Another important issue on the minds of many in the state is school shootings. According to the Sandy Hook Promise, since the Columbine school shooting in 1999, nearly 300,000 students have been on campus during a school shooting.
It’s extremely scary and disheartening to see so many children on the news dying from just going to school. Maine students have the right to go to school and feel safe. While in office, Mills worked to pass the yellow flag law and enacted the school safety center.
“The school safety center is going around to schools across the state of Maine, making sure that our children are safe at school during the day,” Mills said in the debate.
LePage responded to the same question about gun violence.
“[I will] take away all signs that say gun free zones from our schools,” LePage said.
Mills will ensure that the safety of Maine children at school is a priority. She will also vote to protect women’s reproductive freedoms and address the issue of PFA’s which are two other important issues on the minds of Mainers.
Many crucial issues are at stake in this election and many critical things that Mainers rely on for safety and health could be taken away if LePage is elected. That is why, when we go to the polls on Nov. 8, we must look to Mills as the right choice for Maine.
