More than a quarter of Mainers feel that the most important problem facing the state right now is the political left, according to the Pine Tree States Poll, a States of Opinion Project, conducted by the University of New Hampshire (UNH) Survey Center.
In recent years, only two other issues have reached this level of significance for Mainers: housing and the cost of living.
Currently, housing is the second most commonly cited concern (12 percent), followed by national issues (11 percent), the state budget (9 percent), and the economy (9 percent).
Only 7 percent of respondents mentioned the political right as the most important problem the state is facing right now.
Respondents were also asked about their approval of Gov. Janet Mills (D), revealing support from 52 percent of Mainers and opposition from 46 percent.
Among those who support the governor, 56 percent said the most important decision she made that contributed to their approval is her opposition to President Donald Trump (R).
Meanwhile, Gov. Mills’ “handling of LGBTQ issues” was cited by 51 percent of those opposing her as the primary reason for their lack of approval.
Given that this poll conducted between April 17 and April 21 of this year, this likely refers in part to Mills’ position on the participation of biological males in female athletics.
Age, however, factored predominately into respondents’ likelihood of citing this as a reason for their position.
More than two-thirds, or 70 percent, of those age 65 and over cited her “handling of LGBTQ” issues as the most determinative issue driving their disapproval, compared to just 19 percent of those 18 to 34.
The vast majority of younger Mainers cited an unspecified “other” reason for their opposing Mills, with the second largest share pointing toward her opposition to Trump.
This Pine Tree State Poll also revealed that a majority of Mainers from across the political spectrum do not believe that Sen. Susan Collins (R) deserves to be reelected. This finding tracks more broadly with how Americans in general feel about Congress, including how many currently think about their own representative, according to recent nation-wide surveys by Gallup.
71 percent of respondents overall expressed opposition to her reelection, and among Democrats that rose to 84 percent, and among Independents it fell slightly to 67 percent, while just over half, or 57 percent, of Republicans currently oppose another term for Collins, respondents told UNH. Independents were also the most likely to unsure whether or not Sen. Collins should be reelected in the future.
The poll also asked Mainers to weigh in on two state policies: the housing of transgender inmates in prisons and public school vaccine requirements.
Respondents were largely divided by political affiliation with respect to the topic of transgender prisoners, with 76 percent of Democrats expressing support for allowing them to select the facility of their choice and 93 percent of Republicans opposing it.
Independents, however, were more likely to express opposition allowing inmates to be housed in the facility aligned with their gender identity rather than their biological sex. While 56 percent of Independents opposed this policy, just 31 percent supported it.
Although there is widespread agreement among Mainers of all political leanings that public school vaccination requirements should not be repealed entirely, there is less unanimity regarding the restoration of religious exemptions.
60 percent of Republicans expressed support for restoring religious vaccine exemptions, compared to just 8 percent of Democrats.
Independents are more divided on this issue, however, with 61 percent opposing their restoration and 36 percent supporting it.
This poll was conducted via an online survey between April 17 and April 21. 911 Pine Tree State panel members participated in this survey.
