Bobby Charles Launches Run for Governor to Keep Maine Safe & Affordable

Maine Conservative, Former Reagan Official and U.S. Naval Intelligence Officer Vows to ‘Take An Axe’ to Democrats’ Failed Liberal Policies

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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AUGUSTA, ME — Bobby Charles, a crime fighter, U.S. Naval Intelligence Officer, small business owner and lifelong Mainer, announced his candidacy for Governor today with a clear message: Maine is in peril, and it’s time for leadership that works with President Trump to get results.

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“Maine should not be a sanctuary state for drug cartels, illegal aliens, criminals, or woke bureaucrats,” said Charles. “And life shouldn’t be an unaffordable nightmare for retirees, workers, and small business owners. I’m running to end the nonsense, restore safety, and cut taxes for the people who make Maine work.”

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Charles brings a distinguished and experienced record to the race. A former Reagan White House official, Assistant Secretary of State, and U.S. Naval Intelligence Officer who volunteered for active duty on 9/11, Charles led global counter-narcotics operations, dismantling drug cartel networks, training law enforcement in 70 countries and defending American lives. For 25 years, he’s run a small business and understands firsthand what it takes to grow an economy, create jobs, and meet a payroll.

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Under Janet Mills, Maine’s decline has accelerated:

• A record 10,000+ overdoses leading to 700+ related deaths in 2022, with fentanyl pouring across the border.
• Maine’s state rural patrol has gone underfunded since 1977, despite rural counties struggling to handle over 3,000 additional calls per year.
• Mills abandoned our veterans and put illegal aliens in taxpayer-funded luxury housing, tripling welfare spending through General Assistance.

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“Maine has become a magnet for traffickers and criminals,” Charles said. “While Janet Mills plays politics, families are burying loved ones at record numbers. That ends under my watch as Governor.”

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Charles also emphasized that this race is about rebuilding Maine’s economy and stopping the avalanche of burdensome regulations, and taxes and fees crushing working families, seniors and job creators:

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• Mills has grown the state budget by 60%, creating a $450 million deficit.
• She proposed gutting pension tax benefits for over 22,000 retirees and added a 70-cent tax on every prescription and a 30% tax on cigarettes.
• Mills’ new 1% payroll tax in 2025 raised costs for every worker and employer.
• She’s created new fees on hunting, fishing, concealed carry permits, and outdoor recreation.
• Mills also ramped up taxes on streaming services, targeting everyday digital entertainment like Netflix and Spotify.

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“As Governor, I’ll take an axe to Mills’ taxes,” said Charles. “I will eliminate burdensome regulations and abolish the income tax. I’ve run a business—I know how bad policy chokes job growth. We’re going to bring jobs back and unleash Maine’s economy.”

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Charles’s economic message for middle class families and seniors is simple: lower taxes, less red tape, more opportunity for families, farmers, fishermen, and entrepreneurs.

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On education, Charles pledged to return discipline and academic excellence to Maine schools. “We spend $26,000 per student, our kids are scoring at 30-year lows, less than a quarter of 8th graders are proficient in math, and less than a quarter of 4th graders are proficient at reading. Mills is pushing politics instead of math and reading. I’ll end the woke nonsense and put real learning back at the center of every classroom,” said Charles.

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“This race is not about managing decline—it’s about reclaiming Maine’s future,” Charles said. “I’ve served in war zones and in the halls of Washington, but my mission now is here at home. I’m running to lead, to fight, and to win.”

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For more information, to volunteer, or to donate, visit www.BobbyForMaine.com.

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Media inquiries: press@bobbyformaine.com.

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