Maine's newest crop of state lawmakers will gather in Augusta for the first time Wednesday for the start of a new, 2-year legislative session.
The November elections didn't change the overall party dynamics in Augusta. Democrats will still control both the House and Senate when the 132nd Maine Legislature gets underway at around 10 a.m.
But Republicans chipped away at those majorities in both chambers. In the House, for instance, Democrats only outnumber Republicans 76 to 73 plus two independents. The Senate will feature 20 Democrats and 15 Republicans.
The question now is whether the closely divided government will lead to more compromise or political stalemates. The legislative session begins in earnest during the first week of January.
Wednesday's opening day will largely be ceremonial. In addition to taking their oaths of office, lawmakers are expected to formally elect Democratic Rep. Ryan Fecteau of Biddeford as House Speaker and Sen. Mattie Daughtry of Brunswick as Senate President. Fecteau previously served as speaker during the 2021-22 legislative session while Daughtry was assistant majority leader during the last session. The House and Senate Democratic caucuses nominated Fecteau and Daughtry last month.
Lawmakers' other major decision will be to select Maine's attorney general, secretary of state and treasurer. Traditionally, the people chosen to fill those constitutional officer posts hail from the party with the most seats in the Legislature.
Democrats met behind closed doors at the State House on Tuesday to select their nominees.
Attorney General Aaron Frey, who has held the post since 2019, once again won the nomination from his Democratic colleagues for another two-year term as Maine's top legal official. He defeated Maeghan Maloney, the current district attorney for Kennebec and Somerset counties, during secret balloting.
On Wednesday, the full Legislature will decide between Frey and the GOP's presumptive choice, Robert Charles. A native of Wayne, Charles is an attorney who served as assistant secretary of state during the George W. Bush administration, focused on international counter-narcotics and drug enforcement. He also held senior staff positions on congressional committees — once again focused on counter-narcotics — and is a former naval intelligence officer.
Democrats also nominated Rep. Joe Perry of Bangor to serve as state treasurer. Perry is a small business owner who has represented the Bangor area in the Legislature for 10 non-consecutive terms. He served as co-chair of the Legislature's Taxation Committee during the last session. Democrats chose Perry over Rep. Maureen "Mo" Terry of Gorham for state treasurer during secret balloting.
Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, a Democrat, was unopposed in her party in seeking another term in that office. Likewise, Democrats also nominated state auditor Matt Dunlap to serve another term in that position.
Looking farther ahead, lawmakers will have to craft a new two-year budget at a time when the revenue flow into state coffers appears to be flattening. Democratic Gov. Janet Mills, who is entering her final two years in office, is already signaling that her budget proposal will reflect that reality.
