Politics
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Ben Midgley, who has founded and led fitness club chains, said Tuesday he will join the Republican field of candidates seeking to become Maine’s next governor in 2026.
Midgley, 55, announced his bid in his hometown of Kennebunkport. He was a founding partner and former CEO of the company behind Crunch Fitness, which has grown to more than 400 gyms in 46 states and multiple countries but has none in Maine. Before launching the company in 2009, Midgley led Planet Fitness and had leadership roles at 24 Hour Fitness.
Midgley was born in Boston and moved to Maine when he was 7 years old. He grew up in York County and eventually went to California for college and career moves before returning to Maine with his wife and three children.
Ahead of Tuesday’s announcement, Midgley wrote in a Facebook post that he had been “on unemployment and on food stamps” before building his fitness business, and he described a rising cost of living, small businesses struggling “under burdensome regulations,” families dealing with higher electricity bills and young people leaving Maine over affordability issues.
Midgley rattled off a number of issues at his kickoff event, such as his desire to “restore parental rights in education,” keep transgender athletes out of female sports, end “sanctuary cities” and fight the state’s “drug epidemic” along with illicit Chinese-linked marijuana operations.
“Maine people deserve a governor who is 100 percent in it for them, not special interest groups, not the political class, just fully committed to the people,” Midgley said.
He joins a wide-open field of competitors seeking to succeed Gov. Janet Mills, the Democrat who is termed out of office next year. Both sides include figures either in the race or considering bids with well-known last names.
The Republican field has Sen. Jim Libby, real estate leader David Jones, lawyer Bobby Charles, entrepreneur Owen McCarthy and others, with former Maine Senate Majority Leader Garrett Mason, Rep. Laurel Libby, health tech leader Jonathan Bush and 2018 gubernatorial nominee Shawn Moody among those who have been floated as potential candidates.
The Democratic field is largely set, with Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson, former Maine House Speaker Hannah Pingree and former clean energy executive Angus King III, among the contenders.
Sen. Rick Bennett of Oxford left the Republican Party to run as an independent, and Rep. Ed Crockett of Portland, who had been a Democrat, also has said he is making an independent bid but has not filed for the race.