As governor, Paul LePage was experienced in deal making to pass legislation into law. But he needed to make a few concessions to his wife Ann in order to run for governor in 2022. LePage was the featured speaker July 28 at the Lincoln County Republican Committee meeting in Boothbay. LePage explained he began negotiations with buying his wife a new pick-up truck and listening to country music.

LePage served as governor from 2011 to 2019. During those years, he battled the current governor, Democrat Janet Mills, who served as the state attorney general. LePage reported Mills sued him eight times during his two terms. He characterized the 2022 gubernatorial race as “freedom versus socialism.” He believes the distinction between his career and Mills’ is a stark contrast in leadership. “I’ve spent my entire career putting people to work, and she’s spent her career trying to put people in prison.”

LePage also recalled Mills campaigning in 2018 to reverse one of his decisions. LePage closed Downeast Correctional Facility in Machiasport in February 2018. LePage reported previous attempts by governors Angus King and John Baldacci failed due to political pressure. LePage wanted to close the facility to save taxpayers money. He described the Washington County prison as a minimum security facility built in 1942. “There was another maximum security facility available which had an average cost of $42,000 (per inmate, per year) compared to Downeast’s $47,000. So I closed it,” he said.

Mills, as attorney general, unsuccessfully sued the LePage administration to keep the facility open. But when Mills became governor, she decided against reopening the prison. “Voters had previously rejected a bond to the fix the prison. She changed her mind after realizing how much it cost to operate.  So she dusted off an old report from my office about making it into a pre-lease system,” he said.

Rick Savage, co-owner of Sunday River Brewing Co. in Bethel, reported he battled the Mills administration over COVID-19 regulations shortly after the pandemic hit in 2020. Sunday River Co. was fined and shut down by the Mills administration for violating state pandemic mandates. Savage said he tried discussing the matter with Mills prior to the state shutting down his operation. He had provided free meals in the region during the early days of the pandemic and just ordered $18,000 in food prior to the state’s shutdown. He was ready to open when the state implemented new COVID-19 restrictions. “Tucker Carlson is a friend of mine and I went on TV and told him how bad our governor was for business. I gave out her cell phone number, and the state proceeded to shut me down,” he said.

Savage told the audience Mills reopened the courts to impose COVID-19 restrictions and fines against his business. “The state was shut down. Child safety cases were put on hold by the court system, but she reopened them to shut me down,” he said. Savage told the audience LePage helped him receive state approval for several licenses when his business opened seven years ago and was a strong advocate for Maine small businesses.

“We need Paul LePage in the Blaine House because a lot of businesses are suffering, and are closing for good under Janet Mills,” he said.

LePage also told the audience his family has been impacted by the nationwide labor shortage. LePage and his son Paul Jr. are working at McSeagulls this summer as bartenders, and Ann LePage is a server. But the restaurant is closed two days per week due to a lack of cooks. “There is not enough people down here. I thought Trump made a mistake restricting the J-1 Visas. He thought Americans would do the work,” he said.

Another speaker, former Second District Congressman Bruce Poliquin, said he may run for Congress in 2022.