Maine gov accused of spending like ‘drunken sailor’ as candidates square off during debate

Maine Gov. Janet Mills (D) went head-to-head together with her Republican challenger, former Gov. Paul LePage, Monday night for his or her second televised debate simply weeks away from the November midterms. 

The talk, held within the CBS13 studios in Portland, Maine, touched on acquainted themes to this election cycle, together with the excessive price of dwelling, abortion, and training. 

In a single fiery trade, LePage, who was governor of Maine from 2011 to 2019, accused his opponent of “spending like cash like a drunken sailor.” 

“The one distinction is a drunken sailor spends his personal cash,” LePage mentioned, to which the governor shot again: “It’s unbelievable to recommend giving individuals cash to assist combat inflation – which is without doubt one of the greatest inflation aid measures within the nation – is a few kind of gimmick.” 

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“I’m sorry, governor, I don’t know which financial faculty you went to, however placing cash in a scorching financial system solely drives up inflation not lowers it,” LePage responded. “In case you wished to decrease inflation, the easiest way to do it’s decrease the earnings tax and make it retroactive to 2021.” 

Mills mentioned there have been issues inflicting inflation past her management, specifically Russian Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine driving up oil costs and grocery costs. 

Former Maine governor and 2022 GOP gubernatorial nominee Paul LePage (proper) and GOP Gov. Chris Sununu of New Hampshire (middle) get a tour of Messer Truck Tools in Westbrook, Maine on July 13, 2022
(Fox Information )

“I can’t management the child components points and different problems with avian flu however what I can do is assist put money again into the pockets of Maine individuals and that’s what we did,” she mentioned. 

LePage vowed to repeal legal guidelines reining within the fossil gasoline trade, saying: “I’ll go the place the oil is.” 

“In my lifetime, and within the lifetime of this governor, we won’t see ourselves off oil,” LePage mentioned. “What we are going to see ourselves is working to reduce the oil and creating applied sciences of the long run. Be certain that they’re prepared for primetime earlier than we begin paying 30 cents a kilowatt-hour for electrical energy.”

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Mills denied that she had ever raised, nor assist gasoline tax will increase and blamed vitality value will increase on “our dependence on fossil fuels. Pure and easy.”  

FILE: Maine Gov. Janet Mills delivers her State of the State Deal with on the Maine State Home on Thursday. 
(Employees picture by Ben McCanna/Portland Press Herald by way of Getty Pictures)

On abortion, Mills reaffirmed her pro-choice stance, saying she would make no adjustments to state legal guidelines codifying Roe v. Wade. LePage, who identifies as pro-life, was extra evasive, saying he wouldn’t change the legislation. 

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CBS13’s Gregg Lagerquist and The Bangor Every day Information’ Michael Shepard moderated the talk.