Maine’s Gubernatorial Primary Reveals Changing Political Landscape

In Maine, the political weight of certain family names has seemingly diminished, as demonstrated by the recent gubernatorial primary results. Earlier this month, two prominent candidates fell short in this ranked-choice system.

On the Republican side, Jonathan Bush, who is related to former President George H.W. Bush, was eliminated after the sixth round of counting.

Meanwhile, on the Democratic front, Angus King III—named after his father, Senator Angus King from Maine—was cut from the race in the very first round.

Ranked-choice voting allows voters to indicate their preferences among candidates, ranking them as first, second, or third. If the top choice doesn’t stand a chance of winning, the vote transfers to the next preferred candidate, resulting in multiple rounds of counting.

This past Friday, the Maine Secretary of State’s Office confirmed that Democrat Hannah Pingree, whose mother is a former state House Speaker, is set to compete against Republican Bobby Charles in the upcoming general election.

The victor will succeed Democratic Governor Janet Mills, who cannot run again due to term limits.

Jonathan Bush, the founder of the healthcare software company Athena Health, resigned in 2018 amid tensions with investors. His campaign faced scrutiny due to allegations of past domestic violence and controversial remarks made to a colleague.

Additionally, he is the brother of Billy Bush, a media figure known for his involvement in a notorious recorded conversation with Donald Trump in 2016.

The decline of the Bush name in Maine seems influenced by Donald Trump’s attacks on former Florida Governor Jeb Bush during the 2016 primaries.

Despite being linked to a political dynasty, Bush attempted to present himself as an outsider challenging Maine’s liberal policies. His defeat signifies that George P. Bush, the last to hold political office, stepped down as Texas Land Commissioner in 2023.

Angus King III, unlike his father—a well-regarded former governor and current senator—was unable to leverage that legacy. King established an energy company upon returning home after working in the Clinton administration.

Maine has utilized ranked-choice voting since a 2016 referendum, which operates by eliminating the candidate with the fewest votes and reallocating those votes to the next preferred candidates until one achieves a majority.