Steve Mistler

Chief Political Correspondent and State House Bureau Chief
  • Maine Public

Steve has been a journalist for nearly two decades, specializing in the coverage of politics and state government. His work has been recognized by the Maine Press Association and the New England Newspaper and Press Association for investigative projects and accountability journalism. He was named the MPA’s Journalist of the Year in 2011 for his coverage of municipal government for The Forecaster in Falmouth and, later, for his coverage of state government for the Sun Journal in Lewiston.

Steve became the state house bureau chief for the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram in 2012. After four years with Maine’s largest daily newspaper, Steve made the leap to radio journalism, joining Maine Public in May 2016.

Steve is married with one child and has two crazy dogs. His family lives in Brunswick.

Ways to Connect

Collins Joins Senate Democrats In Opposing Trump's Nominee For Federal Judge

By • May 17, 2019
Harry Hamburg / AP Photo

Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins voted with Democrats Thursday to oppose confirmation of a federal judge who has been criticized for her views on abortion. Wendy Vitter has also come under fire for appearing to back discredited claims that link abortion and birth control pills to increased risk of cancer and violent relationships.

Mills Outlines Climate Change Council Plans For Natural Resources Committee

By • May 17, 2019

Democratic Gov. Janet Mills told state lawmakers Friday that her proposal to create a 27-member climate change council will help the state reduce greenhouse gas emissions while transitioning the state to what she describes as a "low-carbon" economy.

King Says He Hopes Trump Will Reign In National Security Team

By • May 17, 2019

Maine independent U.S. Sen. Angus King says that he hopes President Donald Trump will reign in his national security team as tensions between the United States and Iran continue to escalate.

In Reversal, Maine Senate Drops Religious Exemptions From Vaccination Bill

By • May 15, 2019
Seth Wenig / Associated Press file

A bill establishing one of the more aggressive vaccination laws in the country is now one step closer to reaching Democratic Gov. Janet Mills after a vote in the Maine Senate on Tuesday.

Maine Senate Endorses Bill Requiring Medicaid To Cover Abortion Services

By • May 15, 2019
Rebecca Conley / Maine Public

A bill requiring the state’s Medicaid program and private insurers to cover abortion services has cleared the Maine Senate.

Maine Senate Narrowly Endorses Joining Compact Aimed At Overhauling Electoral College System

By • May 14, 2019

Maine inched closer Tuesday toward joining other states that want to elect presidents by popular vote.  The Democratic-controlled Senate voted 19-16 to join an interstate compact that overhauls the Electoral College system currently used to elect U.S. presidents.

Lawmakers Vote Along Party Lines Over Effort To Replace Maine's Presidential Caucuses With Primaries

By • May 11, 2019

The effort to replace Maine's presidential caucuses with a primary system next year could be in trouble, following a party line vote by the Legislature's Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee. Democratic lawmakers voted to approve the bill, but Republicans opposed it.

Maine House Democrats Sustain Governor's First Veto, Allow Sale Of Ethanol-Blended Gas To Continue

By • May 9, 2019
Charlie Riedel / AP Photo

Democrats in the Maine House of Representatives have sustained Gov. Janet Mills' first veto, flipping their previous support for a ban on the sale of gasoline containing more than 10 percent ethanol and killing the proposal altogether.

Maine House Democrats Sustain Governor's First Veto, Allow Sale Of Ethanol-Blended Gas To Continue

By • May 9, 2019
Charlie Riedel / AP Photo

Democrats in the Maine House of Representatives have sustained Gov. Janet Mills' first veto, flipping their previous support for a ban on the sale of gasoline containing more than 10 percent ethanol and killing the proposal altogether.

Maine House Approves Bill To Require State Medicaid To Cover Abortion Services

By • May 7, 2019
Rebecca Conley / Maine Public file

The Maine House of Representatives has given preliminary approval to a bill requiring the state’s Medicaid program and private insurers to cover abortion services.

Maine Senate Narrowly Votes To Retain Religious Exemptions For Vaccinations

By • May 2, 2019
Marina Villeneuve / AP Photo

A bill that would eliminate most non-medical exemptions to the state’s vaccination requirements for Maine school children hit a snag Thursday.

The Maine Senate narrowly voted to retain exemptions for religious reasons. The House has rejected restoring religious exemptions, so the measure will have to undergo additional votes before it goes to the desk of Democratic Gov. Janet Mills.

Janet Mills' Proposal Would Create 27-Member Climate Change Council

By • May 1, 2019
Steve Mistler / Maine Public

Maine Gov. Janet Mills presented a bill on Tuesday to create a 27-member climate change council charged with dramatically reducing greenhouse gas emissions and transitioning Maine to what she describes as a “low-carbon economy.”

Committee Opposes Bill To Let Towns Ban Firearms From Polling Places, Public Meetings

By • Apr 29, 2019

A bill allowing Maine municipalities to prohibit firearms at voting places and government meetings faces long odds following a decisive a vote to kill it by a legislative committee.

Mills And State Of Maine Take Steps To Improve Relationships With Maine’s Native Tribes

By • Apr 29, 2019
Office of Gov. Janet Mills

Democratic Gov. Janet Mills has signed into law a bill that will change the Columbus Day holiday to Indigenous Peoples Day. Maine now joins seven other states that adopted similar changes to celebrate the second Monday in October by replacing Columbus Day and honoring the native North Americans victimized during and after the Italian explorers expeditions.

And Mills, who has had a rocky past with Maine's native tribes, says she is moving quickly to restore a tribal-state commission, an inter-governmental body created nearly 40 years ago, but largely neglected in recent years. 

Maine Lawmakers Consider Switch To A Presidential Primary System

By • Apr 26, 2019
Robert F. Bukaty / AP Photo

Maine's political parties could ditch their presidential caucuses next year if a bill establishing a primary system is passed by the state legislature.

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