Maine Democrats rallied at the State House Thursday to show support for their nominee for governor, Attorney General Janet Mills.
The event was held roughly 10 hours after Mills' victory in a seven-way primary was confirmed, after a runoff vote in the nation's first statewide ranked-choice voting primary.
Mills will now face Republican candidate Shawn Moody, the founder of a chain of auto body repair shops who is touting his business experience. Moody has vowed to continue LePage's policy agenda.
Mills won the nomination against veteran and attorney Adam Cote after four runoff rounds. During the rally, Cote urged his supporters to help Mills win in November.
“Because we know what it is like to have four or eight years of the current governor that we have,” Cote said. “And that's exactly what Shawn Moody is offering, the exact, same package," Cote said.
Mills will also face independents Alan Caron and Terry Hayes. She was joined Thursday by several Democratic candidates, who each pledged to help Mills win in November.
And, while ranked-choice voting was used last week's party election, it won't be used in the November governor's race because of a Maine Supreme Court opinion last year that said the system is likely unconstitutional in general elections. The system will be used in three congressional contests in November.
