SOUTH PORTLAND — In an unusual move in Maine’s Republican gubernatorial primary, Jonathan Bush announced that fellow GOP candidate Robert Wessels will serve as his Congressional District 2 Grassroots Chair, even as Wessels remains in the race for governor.
The announcement came ahead of tonight’s WGME/BDN gubernatorial debate and before Wessels was set to hold an event with another rival in the race, Bobby Charles, adding another layer of intrigue to a primary that appears to be getting more interesting by the hour.
Wessels, of Paris, said he is not ending his campaign, but will encourage his supporters to consider Bush as their second-choice vote.
“In this campaign I have spent a lot of time up close with all the candidates. They’re great guys! After months of contemplation, I have decided that I will be giving my #2 vote to Jonathan Bush and I encourage my supporters to consider doing the same,” Wessels said. “Jonathan and I closely align on the solutions to fix our government and our economy. I’m excited that his plans to shrink government line up so well with my own. I am not dropping out, but I look forward to working with Jonathan on behalf of working Mainers.”
The move is notable because Wessels is not merely a former candidate or party activist backing Bush from the sidelines. He is a current candidate for the same office, publicly supporting another candidate as his ranked-choice alternative while continuing his own campaign.
That political balancing act became even more striking because Wessels’ support for Bush came just before the debate where Wessels was scheduled to hold an event alongside Charles, another Republican rival seeking the Blaine House.
Bush also announced that Jim Libby, of Standish, will serve as his Congressional District 1 Grassroots Chair.
Libby, a former Republican candidate for governor and current state senator, said his support for Bush is rooted in Bush’s private-sector record and his focus on economic growth.
“My decision was simple: Jonathan is the only person running for governor who has already created almost a thousand jobs in our very difficult Maine regulatory environment,” Libby said. “I know he will lead the state and create much-needed economic growth because he has already grown jobs and fostered innovation right here.”
Libby said Bush’s business background would translate into lower taxes and a stronger economy for Maine families.
“That means many things for our future, including significantly lower income taxes and lower property taxes through broadening the tax base,” Libby said. “He can and will create an economy where our children will have the incentive to stay here in Maine. That’s why I’m supporting Jonathan Bush for Governor.”
Bush framed the announcement as part of a broader effort to build a statewide grassroots organization heading into the June 9 Republican primary.
“Robert and Jim are such strong voices for what we need to get done to fix this state,” Bush said. “We need an outsider CEO — not a lobbyist — to shrink Augusta, cut taxes, and rebuild our economy. I’m honored to have their support and can’t wait to work with them to continue to build out our grassroots team across the state.”
According to the campaign, Wessels and Libby will help organize Bush supporters in Maine’s two congressional districts. Bush is expected to continue rolling out additional grassroots supporters in the coming weeks.
The announcement lands just hours before the WGME/BDN debate, where Republican gubernatorial candidates are expected to sharpen their contrasts before voters begin making their final decisions in the primary. Wessels was told by WGME he was not invited and Charles announced he would not attend due to to Wessells being excluded.
But the Wessels development complicates the usual lines of a primary fight: he remains a candidate, is encouraging supporters to consider Bush as their second choice, and is appearing with Charles before the debate.
In a race already marked by tension over debate access, candidate clashes, and competing claims over who is best positioned to shrink Augusta and rebuild Maine’s economy, the latest move shows the Republican primary is not just heating up.
It is shifting by the hour.
