Maine's Political Pulse
The Maine Political Pulse features news and analysis of politics and government by correspondents Steve Mistler and Kevin Miller. Both have extensive experience covering the Maine Legislature, U.S. Congress and state elections for newspapers like the Portland Press Herald and now for Maine Public.
The Pulse is offered as a podcast and a newsletter and is excerpted for broadcast segments during All Things Considered and Morning Edition.
You can subscribe to the newsletter here and you can find the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other streaming services.
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There’s a bonafide primary contest among Democrats in the Maine race for the U.S. Senate. And one of the leading contestants, Gov. Janet Mills, isn't even an official candidate yet. -
Defeating Susan Collins is Graham Platner’s primary goal, but he and his campaign also signaled that they’re gearing up for a potential fight against power brokers in the Democratic National Committee. -
The 2026 gubernatorial election is 16 months away, yet Republican hopeful Bobby Charles has already managed to break through the mostly routine campaign rollouts by the rest of the ever-growing field of candidates. -
U.S. Sen. Susan Collins of Maine has been the focus of national attention — and scorn among Democrats — as Republicans dutifully carried out President Donald Trump’s controversial plans for tax cuts while slashing billions of dollars from Medicaid, foreign aid and public broadcasting. While Collins ultimately opposed both measures, the intense Democratic response signals the 2026 election has officially arrived in Maine. -
In a final burst of activity, state lawmakers closed out the 2025 legislative session this week by passing dozens of additional bills, dealing with everything from guns and reproductive health to affordable housing.
More from the podcast archives
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The Maine Legislature wrapped up this year’s session on Wednesday night. Here's what they got done and still have left to do. -
This week we’re gonna catch up on the latest from the State House where the Legislature is racing toward the end of the session. There’s a lot going on. But we’re going to focus on a few highlights, starting with a conflict between Democrats and Republicans over a "red flag" bill that will appear as a ballot measure in November.
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Nearly one year after President Donald Trump’s supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol in the hopes of stopping certification of the 2020 election, the Maine House of Representatives debated a resolution commemorating the assault on Congress that ultimately led to the conviction of more than 1,270 rioters.