Hannah Pingree officially launches bid for governor
Hannah Pingree officially launched her campaign for governor after months of speculation about the candidacy of the former Mills administration official and speaker of the Maine House of Representatives.
Pingree, the daughter of U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree, will join at least three other Democratic candidates facing off in the gubernatorial primary next June, including Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, former Senate President Troy Jackson and Angus King III, the son of independent U.S. Sen. Angus King.
She kicked off the campaign with several planned stops around the state on Tuesday, starting with a rally in Rockland, scheduled meetings with local leaders in Lewiston and Biddeford before capping off the day with a celebration in Portland.
Pingree left her role as head of Gov. Janet Mills' Office of Policy Innovation and the Future, also known as GOPIF, which she held since 2019. The office was created to recommend policy solutions for some of the state's biggest issues including climate change, housing, workforce development, the opioid crisis and more.
Under Pingree's leadership, GOPIF helped advance legislation that created the Maine Climate Council to support the state in meeting its greenhouse gas emission reduction goals while investing in local infrastructure. Pingree served as co-chair of the council, which authored the state's climate action plan that outlines strategies for electrifying transportation and home heating, among other initiatives.
When Pingree stepped down from that role, Mills said in a statement, 'She and her team … have exceeded my expectations at every step, and I look forward to watching her do great things for Maine in the years to come.'
In her campaign announcement, Pingree said her vision for Maine's future was 'rooted in economic opportunity, climate resilience, affordable housing and health care, and strong, connected communities.'
Before working in the Mills administration, Pingree served four terms in the Maine Legislature including two years as speaker of the state House of Representatives.
In a poll released last week by Pan Atlantic Research, Pingree came in third among likely Democratic voters, with 20% percent of respondents saying they would likely support her, and another 39% saying they would consider supporting the congresswoman's daughter, though at the time she had not yet officially announced a run.
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