As I said to @lauracoates.com on @cnn.com, Mainers are fed up with a system that is letting them down. They can’t afford the basics. Healthcare is totally broken. And 2026 Sen. Collins is not the 1996 Sen. Collins. Graham’s message resonated. Now we need a nominee who can carry the message onward.

What happens if/when Graham Platner withdraws? I know what I think ought to be prioritized in the replacement process.

1/4 Today's revelations, on top of months of allegations and controversies, make it clear that Graham’s campaign cannot be successful. Ms. Racicot is brave to come forward and share her experience. It’s horrifying to read, and I’m also sorry she has to do so in the first place.

Working parents need childcare they can afford. We cut the red tape so more childcare centers can open in neighborhoods across the state, creating more options and lowering costs for Maine families.

Happy Independence Day! Hope everyone has a safe, fun time celebrating our nation's 250th — our “Semiquincentennial.”

Maine will experience a major heat wave this week. In some spots, it might feel like 105-110 degrees. Meteorologists have forecasted that the worst of the heat will last from Wednesday afternoon through Friday evening. Cooling centers will be available. Find your nearest one here: bit.ly/4gQ9zj2

Dr. Mike Dowling’s team at Maine Dental Surgery Center is doing good work to help Maine kids. Families are coming all the way from Aroostook County to Yarmouth for care. Together, we passed a law to cut wait times & motivate more dentists across Maine to offer dental surgery. Thanks for the tour!

We're bringing more mobile dental clinics directly to schools, making it easier for Maine kids to get the care they need. And my bill from last session, which is now law, will help reduce dental surgery wait times for MaineCare patients and encourage more dentists to provide these services.

It's great news that Maine exceeded its housing goals last year, and we have a new online portal to keep tracking new units.

The cruelty is unreal. 4k+ Maine kids are no longer getting food assistance b/c of Trump's Big Bad Bill. “On paper, these households are still qualifying for SNAP, but they can’t make it through the barriers, the slower process to obtain the benefits, or the increased documentation that’s needed."

President Trump's Big Bad Bill pushed millions of new costs onto states while slashing aid to those in need, all to give tax breaks to the ultra-wealthy. And it added tons of senseless hoops meant to keep people like Jeri and Mario from getting the help they need.

Mainers shouldn't go hungry because Washington lawmakers put their benefits at risk. That's why we've set aside funds to ensure our neighbors will be able to get the food they need, even during a federal shutdown.

Do you live in York, Cumberland, Kennebec, or Penobscot County? Homeowners in these areas will soon be able to apply for assistance to install storm-resistant roofs. Eligible Maine residents can receive grants of up to $15,000.

Wonderful turnout for Portland's Pride Parade! Loved seeing so many people from all across Maine come to celebrate together. Hope everyone has fun during the festivities this weekend and the rest of June 🏳️‍🌈

Today's Juneteenth event in Biddeford was a blast! Great to see the community come together for food, music and a celebration of Black culture on this important day.

Today, the nation celebrates Juneteenth. In 1865, Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, and told enslaved people that they were free. This was more than two years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation.

With severe weather worsening because of climate change, Maine needs to be prepared. We're helping homeowners, communities, and businesses get ready for future storms. We're also protecting our environment from PFAS and other 'Forever Chemicals.'

Public service can take shape in many ways— be it volunteering for a nonprofit, serving on a local board, or advocating for policy change. The grads of Leadership Portland will undoubtedly put their new skills to work to strengthen their communities & our state. I'm excited to see what they achieve.

I am deeply saddened to learn that Wayne Woodbury, the Asst. Fire Chief of Searsmont, has died as a result of injuries he suffered while fighting the fire at Robbins Lumber in mid-May. My heart goes out to his family, colleagues, and all who are affected by this tragedy. They are all in my prayers.

Looking for a job? Starting this summer, you'll see salary ranges on most job postings. This is a big win for workers, who will be able to see upfront if the job they're appying for pays enough to meet their needs.

Maine's new Paid Family Medical Leave program is working for workers. It gives people meaningful support when big milestones come up, like having a baby, or urgent needs arise, like extended care for a medical condition.

Inflation just hit a three-year high. Thanks to the war in Iran and Trump's tariffs driving up prices, Americans are getting pinched, pinched, pinched everywhere they turn. 🔗 www.foxbusiness.com/economy/cpi-...

Happy Pride Month! It was awesome to see so many people come out for the ceremonial flag raising in Ogunquit. There's so much to look forward to throughout June with events planned all over Maine. I hope everyone has fun celebrating as a community.

Today is Maine's primary election. Polls are open until 8 pm. If you have not returned your absentee ballot, it must be turned in to your local clerk by that time. In Biddeford, we're also voting on Charter Revision Commission candidates and the School Budget Validation Referendum question.

We know that working parents in Maine need affordable, accessible childcare to stay in the workforce. By the time we finished our work in Augusta, we helped bring down costs for providers and families, and cut the red tape to open more daycares across the state.

The Child Care Affordability Program helps Maine families with the often overwhelming cost of daycare. That way, parents can go to work, attend job training or continue their education. We invested $10M in CCAP as part of the Supplemental Budget to clear the waitlist and help more families.

I was glad to participate in the Lifelong Maine Conference in Orono this week. We discussed the ways the legislature has taken action on the housing crisis to get more homes built for folks of all ages.

My June newsletter is out now with info about school funding changes to better meet community needs, storm-resistant roof grants and a voting reminder. ➡️ mailchi.mp/da05f98f3315...

Today I directed the House Ethics Committee to investigate the conduct of Representative Randall Hall (R-Wilton). Last week, Rep. Hall pleaded guilty to unsworn falsification and criminal violation of the Clean Election law. I asked him to resign, but he has not done so.

Maine homeowners can now get more property tax relief. In the supplemental budget, we increased the Property Tax Fairness Credit maximum benefit for those under 65. This will help families now, while we keep working on long-term solutions to reduce the burden on taxpayers.

"The report reveals that Maine’s housing has not only become unaffordable to most people in the state, but that Mainers are feeling the pressure of rising home prices more than almost every other state while wages have struggled to keep up."

Mainers are struggling to find homes they can afford. That's why we got rid of the Real Estate Transfer Tax for first-time home buyers. We also slightly increased the RETT for the portion of sales over $1M, with that money going to build affordable housing across the state.

This morning, I joined Governor Mills and other legislators at Westbrook High School to celebrate the 'No Cells After the Bell' provision of the budget. I was really encouraged to hear that teachers and even students are excited for this change.

Get this— teens are spending about 70 minutes of the school day on their cellphones 🤯 At the State House this session, we passed a bell-to-bell ban so kids can focus on school, not notifications. 📱

Today, Representative Randall Hall (R-Wilton) pleaded guilty to unsworn falsification and criminal violation of the Clean Election law. I first requested his resignation in February 2025 following his indictment, and I am requesting it again today.

On Memorial Day, we pause to recognize those who made the ultimate sacrifice. As we approach our nation's 250th, it takes on even more meaning. Since the founding of our country, over 1.3M service members have died in conflicts and wars. I’m grateful to all of those who have stepped up to serve.

A gallon of gas is around $4.50 in Maine-- skyrocketing since Trump attacked Iran. This is just the tip of the iceberg. It's going to be a seriously expensive summer.

As people age, their housing needs can change-- size, design, upkeep. But if older folks don't have affordable options, they may choose to stay in their larger homes, keeping them off the market. It's great to see this complex moving forward to help unblock this housing challenge.

Grifter-in-Chief www.cnn.com/2026/05/18/p...

I am horrified and heartbroken at the news and images of an explosion and fire in Searsmont today at Robbins Lumber. I am praying for everyone involved and their families as emergency personnel respond to this awful tragedy. www.bangordailynews.com/2026/05/15/m...

Gas and grocery prices are going up, up, up. The longer Trump's war in Iran goes on, the worse it will get. How is anyone supposed to afford this?

At the @newdealleaders.bsky.social Ideas Summit, I shared what we're doing in Maine to support families. I talked about how we doubled the state's child tax credit and boosted a stipend that will help attract and retain daycare workers.

I’m saddened to learn of the plane crash that tragically claimed the life of a Maine Game Warden earlier today. My heart goes out to the warden’s family, colleagues, and all who are affected by this tragedy. They are all in my prayers.

Are you considering building an Accessory Dwelling Unit? The Maine ADU Housing Expo on May 15th can help answer your questions about the process and explain potential options.