Lauren LePage grew up as the daughter of Governor Paul LePage, walked away from a career in medicine, and went to work in Republican politics. She sat down with me to ask the question on every Maine kitchen table this fall: has your life gotten cheaper in the last eight years?
Maine’s budget has grown from $7 billion to $12 billion, and Maine families are the ones footing the bill. The state’s own forecast shows a $1.085 billion General Fund gap and a $256.7 million Highway Fund gap, about $1.34 billion together, waiting for the next governor. Electric bills tell the same story. Residential rates in Maine rose just over 36 percent from May 2024 to May 2025, according to federal EIA data. Connecticut’s rose about 18 percent.
Then we get into the politics. Lauren shares what she says happened to the 2011 voter ID bill, what ranked-choice voting did to the Republican primary for governor, and who Mainers will trust in the Collins vs. Jackson race for U.S. Senate. We cover MaineCare and where the blame for rising electric bills belongs, the Second District matchup between Paul LePage and Matt Dunlap, how Republicans can win in blue states, and why Lauren says the media holds Republicans to a different standard.
Whether you agree with her or not, you will hear a candid conversation from someone who has watched Maine politics from the inside.
Her advice for every voter is to bank your vote early. Early in-person voting at your town or city office ends Thursday, October 29th, and Election Day is Tuesday, November 3rd.
Find your town or city office and early voting info: https://maine.vote
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