State lawmakers will vote next week on who should serve as Maine's next attorney general. And the current AG, Democrat Aaron Frey, faces a challenge from within his own party as well as from a Republican who has a long career focused on counter-narcotics.
Maine is the only state in the nation where the attorney general is chosen by lawmakers rather than elected by voters or appointed by the governor. That means whichever party holds the most seats in the Legislature typically gets to name the next AG.
Frey has held Maine's top attorney post since January 2019 when Janet Mills stepped down in order to serve as governor. He beat out four other Democratic candidates during a party caucus. One of those candidates from six years ago, Maeghan Maloney, is running against Frey again this year. Maloney currently serves as district attorney for Kennebec and Somerset counties.
Democrats from the House and Senate will cast secret ballots during a caucus meeting to select their nominee. If history holds, that person will be the favorite to win approval from the full House and Senate on Wednesday because Democrats control both chambers, albeit by relatively small majorities.
Republicans, meanwhile, are touting the presumptive nominee, Robert Charles, as "the most qualified AG in Maine history."
A native of Wayne, Charles served as an assistant secretary of state during the George W. Bush administration, focused on international counter-narcotics and drug enforcement. He also worked on drug policy as a senior staffer and legal counsel to congressional committees and is a former naval intelligence officer.
Charles acknowledged the partisan headwinds he faces in the Democratic-controlled Legislature but argues that he is the right person for the job given the challenges that Maine faces with drug trafficking, increased activity by out-of-state gangs and drug overdoses.
"I understand it's an uphill battle but I am one of those people who tells people to step up often," Charles said. "And I have done that in the past. I was assisted secretary of state with Colin Powell and did counter-narcotics all over the world. And frankly worked with Republicans and Democrats throughout the 1990s and 2000s and after that to try tackle this issue. This has really been a centerpiece of what I've done."
Democrats currently have a 3-seat advantage over Republicans in the 151-member House. There are also two independents in the chamber. Over the in the Senate, Democrats have a 20-15 advantage over Republicans.
Frey was a private attorney and lawmaker from Bangor when he was first elected as attorney general.
In a letter to Democratic lawmakers, Frey wrote that Maine "needs an attorney general who will hold the line in safeguarding democracy and protecting individual rights from the coming Trump administration." He then highlighted his office's efforts to fight against President-elect Trump's first term on issues such as abortion and the Affordable Care Act as well as his office's lawsuits against opioid manufacturers and chemical companies.
"Over the last six years serving as Maine's Attorney General, I have worked diligently alongside legislative Democrats, Governor Janet Mills, advocates and Democratic attorneys general across the nation to advance shared priorities," Frey wrote. "As we prepare for the work of the next two years, I am asking for the privilege to continue to serve as attorney general of our great state."
Maloney could not be reached for comment. But in an interview with the Portland Press Herald, Maloney said she will be able to resist Trump administration policies that she views as harmful to Maine for four years whereas Frey can only serve two more years because of term limits.
“At least it would be possible for me to serve for the entire Trump administration,” Maloney told the Press Herald. “There will be a lot that will be happening two years from now. There will be cases that have not yet started that will be mid-process in two years, and those cases would benefit from having a consistent leadership.”
