By Senator James Hamper
The 2026 Republican Primary has blessed voters with some very good candidates to choose from. However, in listening to the Maine Wire Debate, one candidate rises above the rest, and another proves why he cannot be the Republican nominee this fall.
For six years, I proudly served on the Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee, four of those years as the Senate Chair. I fought hard for fiscal restraint and accountability for Maine’s taxpayers. Under the budgets I helped shepherd through the legislature, we lowered taxes and controlled spending. Since I termed out of the legislature, spending has gone out of control, and fiscal restraint no longer exists. Our state is now on an unsustainable path that will continue to evade the panacea Democrats think they can buy with taxpayer’s money.
I support reigning in spending, lowering taxes for Maine families, strengthening our businesses so they can grow and improve the lives of working Mainers. But what Republican candidate Bobby Charles proposed at the Maine Wire Debate is an unrealistic talking point not based in any reality whatsoever.
Mr. Charles bragged that under his administration he would eliminate $4 billion from Maine’s budget year one. While this might be a popular talking point, it is simply not realistic. A cut of that magnitude would be nearly one third of the current budget, and is simply unattainable both practically and politically. No Legislature would support that, whether run by Democrats or Republicans. At best Mr. Charles is uninformed about what is an achievable budgetary goal, at worse he is deliberately misleading Republican primary voters with polished talking points. Either way, his position is not a serious one and should be questioned.
I remember carefully weighing the decision of who to support in the 2010 Republican Primary. Ultimately, I determined that Paul LePage, the Mayor from Waterville with strong executive experience, was the right candidate for that moment. This election cycle, more than any other I can remember, Republicans must nominate a candidate who is conservative but also is electable in the general election this fall. The stakes for our state are too high to nominate someone who cannot deliver a winning effort on November 3 rd. As I analyzed the field of candidates, the choice became crystal clear: the man to lead Republicans into November should be Ben Midgley.
Many people in my area are just learning about Ben and his story for the first time. Ben has lived the American Dream, but it only came to him through hard work and perseverance. Ben Midgley has a plan to build a stronger Maine. Ben is well informed, researched, and committed to setting realistic and attainable goals that will bring prosperity back to Mainers. As a seasoned experienced CEO who founded and grew a billion-dollar business, Ben has the right temperament to lead our state. He is committed to reigning in state spending, lowering the cost of electricity, eliminating fraud, and getting our state back on track.
The American Dream is out of reach for far too many Mainers. While other candidates use polished talking points and fictional policy goals, Ben Midgley offers Mainers realistic plans that will revive the American Dream in Maine. Republican voters should nominate Ben Midgley on June 9 th, and Maine voters should send him to the Blaine House on November 3 rd.
Knows what it means to sign the front of a check, a good solid voice.
Why can’t we go back to a bi-enniel budget figure attained during the LePage administration?
I would rather have Bobby Charles who is not a lifetime politician like the above named
we need to get away from lifetime politicians that’s what’s wrong with Maine and our country
Yes. We need person with a solid business plan and not a Washington insider making promises rational people know cannot be accomplished.
My question is why isn’t it realistic to cut 4 billion dollars from the government. Why can’t we go back to pre-Janet Mills spending?
“But what Republican candidate Bobby Charles proposed at the Maine Wire Debate is an unrealistic talking point not based in any reality whatsoever.”…… And that s what the establishment reDUMBlicans said about DJT. Typical yellow stain ME-RINO’s “Oh that can’t work, that’s too ambitious, let’s take baby steps or better yet do nothing at all”. 🙁
Yes, Bobby Charles is a bit too slick for my liking, but at least he is out there shaking things up and not someone that has been part of the problem.
With all due respect Senator, Mr. Charles is simply advocating return to a time when spending was at a more reasonable level, and when there was more accountability and less fraud.
To put a finer point on it, Mr. Charles is simply advocating to return to the spending levels present BEFORE you joined the Legislature. BEFORE Maine turned into a clone of Minnesota.
Everyone acknowledges that it is difficult to be in the minority. Nevertheless, it was on your watch that the budget exploded and fraud became rampant.
Dismissing Mr. Charles is not justified; taking a look in the mirror is.
We are blessed to have so many good candidates.
I saw this debate and learned Bobby’s plans are all congruent with a $4 billion dollar budget cut. This number escalated quickly (due to values/choices that don’t align with Bobby’s) therefore, it can be cut quickly as well. Bobby Charles has the Maine people as his #1 priority! He will be receiving my vote.
I love that David Jones was the ONLY one to call bobby out on his misleading claims.
Does anyone really think that a democrat controlled house and senate after going to allow any cuts to the budget? Does Bobby have a plan for that? Maybe someone should ask him.
Eloquent and spot on!
The problem is that Mr. Hamper feels “most republicans would be against a $4 billion dollar cut.” Why? The state has done nothing good with the extra money except let out “no bid” contracts to spend the money as fast as they can without oversight.
Can somebody edit the “g” out of “reigning” and make it “rein”? I know it is a tough homonym for a lot of people, but it is annoying to see a word totally misused.