Building care infrastructure and economic equity
What are your top policy priorities to address the barriers and challenges facing the care work industry (child care, elder care and health care) and systemically undervalued and underpaid care workers, 80% of whom are women?
“Universal childcare is a big one, universal healthcare is another, and I think… really taking a look at the budget from a perspective of structural inequities and how we build systems that will create a healthier community and also close the wealth gap… I think we can do more in terms of tax fairness. I've called for freezing property taxes of resident Mainers and paying for it by doubling the property taxes of non-residents, because 1 in 6 Maine homes is a vacation home, to create revenues so we can invest in universal childcare, and a plan for universal healthcare, and adequately pay, direct-to-care workers as part of that system.”
How would you oversee the implementation of Maine’s new Paid Family and Medical Leave law and program, a critical element of ensuring workers don’t have to choose between a paycheck and caring for loved ones or themselves?
“The other piece that I think is really important in terms of benefits is a one-stop shop application for benefits for people who qualify, because I hear from people all the time that it's overwhelming to know what you qualify for and how you apply, and especially in an era where…Washington is requiring work requirements and verification of eligibility every 6 months. Why can't we have a simple app that folks with phones could use, and a simple paper application for folks who are not technology users, that, again, on the back end, state government can make sure that the relevant information goes where it needs to go. So I think efficiencies would help reduce some of the opposition to some of these requirements.”
Highlights from our conversation on April 3, 2026
“Really taking a look at the budget from a perspective of structural inequities and how we build systems that will create a healthier community and also close the wealth gap.”
“A one-stop shop application for benefits for people who qualify, because I hear from people all the time that it's overwhelming to know what you qualify for and how you apply…”
Ensuring reproductive and gender-specific healthcare
What do you see as the biggest barriers and challenges facing access to consistent, high-quality perinatal care given the rapid closure of birthing units, especially in rural areas?
“The private insurance market aren't covering the cost of the hospitals and the birthing centers. So we need a different approach. This is why I'm so passionate about universal single-payer healthcare for all. I believe no one should be sick because they are poor or poor because they are sick, and I believe everyone should be able to have a baby safely, no matter who they are or where they live…So as governor, in my first year, I will provide direct operating supports to birthing centers, hospitals, and community health centers. Because we need to keep those centers open.”
“I believe no one should be sick because they are poor or poor because they are sick, and I believe everyone should be able to have a baby safely, no matter who they are or where they live.”
Ending gender-based and carceral violence
What do you see as the key policy interventions to support sexual assault and domestic violence survivors and protect access to services given recent federal VOCA funding cuts?
“I think the governor can play a role both in funding and in education about this issue, but then the other piece is economic justice. So, so many people struggling with intimate partner violence are forced to think, ‘How could I live? How would I feed my kids? How can I find a place? How could I support myself outside of this situation?’ So we really need to be thinking about how are we supporting the pipeline of support, helping survivors get into safe housing, helping survivors have access to the resources that they need, to thrive independently.”
“We really need to be thinking about how are we supporting the pipeline of support, helping survivors get into safe housing, helping survivors have access to the resources that they need, to thrive independently.”
Developing equitable & accessible government systems
Laws that address discrimination based on gender identity and gender expression protect all women from discrimination based on their appearance, but there are efforts in Maine and nationally to change these protections. How would you address these proposals?
“I would veto them. All of them. I worked hard in 2005 on the Maine Won't Discriminate campaign to put in place anti-discrimination protections. We did that through a referendum campaign. I've worked hard, when I was head of the ACLU to defeat all attacks on our human rights protections in our state. As a state senator, I served on the Judiciary Committee and fought attempts to roll back these rights. In the Judiciary Committee, and as governor, if any discriminatory measures get to my desk, I will veto them.”
What policies or approaches would you support to ensure all eligible voters can participate in elections, and that people who want to run for office are able to do so?
“I'm pro-voting and pro-clean elections. People like me don't run for office very often. I grew up without electricity or running water until I was in the fifth grade, in poverty, and I married an educator. I've worked in nonprofits my whole life. I don't come from wealth or power. Getting into the state senate, I could do that because of clean elections, because I didn't have to fundraise to serve in the Senate… As secretary, I'm taking on the Trump administration to defend your voter data and to defend elections. So, if folks want a governor who will stand up for democracy, pick the only candidate who's already doing that work.”
“As governor, if any discriminatory measures get to my desk, I will veto them.”
“If folks want a governor who will stand up for democracy, pick the only candidate who's already doing that work.”
Other notable quotes
“One of the things that we're seeing, and I think we see this in a lot of places across the state, is that people get trained and educated in Maine, and then they leave because they can't afford to stay here. So thinking about not only workforce development in our community college and university systems. and thinking about that healthcare workforce, but then workforce recruitment and retention to stay and live and work in these rural areas.”
“What I would say is, I think we need an approach that is bringing together gun owners who are interested in gun safety, and people who've experienced violence, and advocates to create a plan, but I fully support, for example, safe storage of firearms to eliminate accidental, gun deaths. I think we should be really thinking about, you know, what, from a big picture perspective, what are some of the sensible protections we can have… we can put in place at the state level to reduce violence? And I would listen to the advocates.”
“So there are going to be some huge and very difficult budget decisions facing the next governor. We are headed into very hard economic times. Given the disastrous policies of the Trump administration and the war in Iran. And so, we're gonna have some really challenging conversations, because Maine has to balance its budget. We can't… borrow like the federal government can. And so, my budget decisions will be rooted in my lived experience and understanding that if you provide safe housing, universal childcare, and access to healthcare for people, then they have the tools for economic progress and prosperity that then, in turn, supports our communities and our state. That… those will be my values that will guide that budget deliberations.”
“When ICE surged in Maine and they wanted undercover license plates, I said, hell no, we don't have a secret police in a democracy. Despite my very public advocacy for democracy and human rights that has led to Republican calls for my impeachment and, in fact, two impeachment votes, and death threats, and doxing, and swatting. I have been able to keep forging those relationships that allow Republicans to vote to impeach me, and then vote for my budget. And that's a skill that I would bring to the office of governor, that ability to build relationships and hold relationships, even in times of conflict, so that we can find that common ground where it exists.”
Each profile features direct quotes pulled from candidate’s answers to our questions. Full transcripts of each conversation can be found by clicking here.