Hannah Pingree, a former Maine House Speaker and the daughter of U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree, announced Tuesday morning that she is running for governor.
Pingree, 48, kicked off her gubernatorial campaign during an early-morning event at an affordable senior housing complex in Rockland. If elected in November 2026, Pingree pledged to focus on housing, climate resilience, education and economic issues.
"I know there are no easy solutions, there is only hard work and staying focused on what matters: the success of Maine's people and our families, the strength of our economy and the health of our communities," Pingree said. "As governor, you will have my full focus every single day on investing in housing that is affordable for Mainers, on health care that is accessible across the state and easier to navigate. And on our communities where workers and businesses can thrive, families can be safe, kids have great public schools and we can be ready for the storms that come."
Pingree stepped down last month from the Governor's Office of Policy Innovation and the Future — a move that was widely viewed as a precursor to Tuesday's announcement. She led the office created by Democratic Gov. Janet Mills for more than six years, focusing on the state's efforts to address issues such as climate change and affordable housing.
A resident of the island of North Haven, Pingree was first elected to the Legislature at age 25 and served four terms in the Maine House. In 2008, she became the second second woman in Maine history to be elected as Speaker of the House and was, at the time, the youngest House speaker in the country.
Speaking to a gathering of several dozen supporters, Pingree said her experience in Augusta taught her how to build consensus on difficult issues.
"But I also learned how to take on the really tough fights and win," Pingree said. "I stood up to powerful special interests and bullies and I learned that fight or challenge was too big for all of us. And as governor, I won't back down, whether it's against President Trump's attacks, MAGA extremists or powerful special interests."
She enters the primary race for governor with significant name recognition among Democrats because of her legislative service, her involvement in the statewide party and her higher-profile role in the Mills administration. Pingree also likely inherits statewide name recognition because of her mother, Rep. Chellie Pingree, a Democrat who has represented Maine's 1st Congressional District for 16 years.
Pingree joins an increasingly crowded field of Democrats vying for the chance to succeed Mills. Other contenders include Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, former Senate President Troy Jackson and another child of a member of Maine's congressional delegation: businessman Angus King III. Five Republicans have also filed the initial paperwork to seek the GOP nomination governor so far.
The party primaries for governor and other offices will be held on June 9, 2026.
