Democrat Hannah Pingree and Republican Jonathan Bush have raised the most money in their respective parties ahead of the June primaries in the Maine governor’s race.
Pingree, a former speaker of the Maine House of Representatives and official in Gov. Janet Mills’ administration, has raised $1.4 million for her campaign, according to reports that were due to the state Thursday. Pingree is the daughter of U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree.
Bush, a businessman who is the cousin of former President George W. Bush, has raised $1.3 million, including more than $375,000 in personal loans to his campaign.
The campaign finance reports due to the state covered the period from July 1 to Dec. 31, and Pingree and Bush also led fundraising during that timeframe. Pingree, who launched her campaign in June, raised close to $850,000 in the latter half of 2025.
Meanwhile, Bush’s campaign, launched in October, said the amount of money he raised in just three months “sets a new standard for candidates for Maine governor.”
“I am dead serious about winning this race and I’m grateful for the wave of support we’ve received so far,” Bush said in a written statement.
Pingree and Bush are among nearly two dozen candidates vying to replace Mills, who cannot run again due to term limits. Mills is challenging U.S. Sen. Susan Collins for her seat in November.
Democrat Shenna Bellows, Maine’s secretary of state, is the only other candidate who has cleared seven figures of fundraising, having collected just over $1 million. Among other Democrats, Angus King III, a renewable energy entrepreneur, has raised just over $900,000 while former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson has raised $643,000.
Former Maine CDC Director Nirav Shah, also a Democrat, has raised just over $500,000.
On the Republican side, Bobby Charles, a lawyer and former U.S. assistant secretary of state, has raised $623,000, including $80,000 in personal loans, while Ben Midgley, a former fitness franchise executive, has raised $500,000 − half of which he self-funded.
David Jones, a real estate broker, has raised $440,000, and Owen McCarthy, a medical technology entrepreneur, has raised $391,000, including a $55,000 personal loan.
Garrett Mason, a former Maine Senate majority leader who just got in the race last week and is also expected to be among the Republican frontrunners, has not yet had to file a campaign finance report.
Independent Rick Bennett has raised $529,000.
The crowded race also features a handful of independents and candidates who are using Maine’s clean elections system, which provides limited public financing to candidates who agree not to accept large private contributions.
Republican state Sen. Jim Libby, a clean elections candidate, has raised $14,700 in start-up money so far and has not yet received a pay-out from the state, while independent state Rep. Ed Crockett has raised $9,100 in start-up money. He has also not yet gotten state funds.
This is a developing story.
This story was originally published by the Maine Trust for Local News. Rachel Ohm can be reached at rohm@pressherald.com.