Latest news with #GOPIF
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Hannah Pingree officially launches bid for governor
Hannah Pingree is running for governor in the 2026 Democratic primary. (Official headshot) Hannah Pingree officially launched her campaign for governor after months of speculation about the candidacy of the former Mills administration official and speaker of the Maine House of Representatives. Pingree, the daughter of U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree, will join at least three other Democratic candidates facing off in the gubernatorial primary next June, including Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, former Senate President Troy Jackson and Angus King III, the son of independent U.S. Sen. Angus King. She kicked off the campaign with several planned stops around the state on Tuesday, starting with a rally in Rockland, scheduled meetings with local leaders in Lewiston and Biddeford before capping off the day with a celebration in Portland. Pingree left her role as head of Gov. Janet Mills' Office of Policy Innovation and the Future, also known as GOPIF, which she held since 2019. The office was created to recommend policy solutions for some of the state's biggest issues including climate change, housing, workforce development, the opioid crisis and more. Under Pingree's leadership, GOPIF helped advance legislation that created the Maine Climate Council to support the state in meeting its greenhouse gas emission reduction goals while investing in local infrastructure. Pingree served as co-chair of the council, which authored the state's climate action plan that outlines strategies for electrifying transportation and home heating, among other initiatives. When Pingree stepped down from that role, Mills said in a statement, 'She and her team … have exceeded my expectations at every step, and I look forward to watching her do great things for Maine in the years to come.' In her campaign announcement, Pingree said her vision for Maine's future was 'rooted in economic opportunity, climate resilience, affordable housing and health care, and strong, connected communities.' Before working in the Mills administration, Pingree served four terms in the Maine Legislature including two years as speaker of the state House of Representatives. In a poll released last week by Pan Atlantic Research, Pingree came in third among likely Democratic voters, with 20% percent of respondents saying they would likely support her, and another 39% saying they would consider supporting the congresswoman's daughter, though at the time she had not yet officially announced a run. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Amid rumors of gubernatorial bid, Hannah Pingree to leave Mills administration
Hannah Pingree (left) and Gov. Janet Mills (right) participate in a round table at Colony Beach in Kennebunkport, Maine on May 2, 2025. (Photo via Office of Gov. Janet Mills) Hannah Pingree, who has led efforts on climate and housing policy for the state, will leave her position Friday. 'I'm so grateful to Governor Mills for the tremendous opportunity she gave me to dive into Maine's biggest challenges and lead work across her administration to chart a path to solutions,' Pingree said in a news release from the governor's office Thursday. Though the release didn't specify what Pingree plans to do next, she said she will 'remain relentlessly focused on the future of the state we all love.' The Bangor Daily News has reported that Pingree is expected to throw her hat in the ring for the Democratic gubernatorial primary next year. Prior to her time in the executive branch, Pingree served four terms in the Maine Legislature including two years as speaker of the state House of Representatives. She is also the daughter of Maine's 1st Congressional District representative. Pingree has served as director of the Governor's Office of Policy Innovation and the Future, also known as GOPIF, since 2019. The agency was created by Gov. Janet Mills to recommend policy solutions for some of the state's biggest issues and focuses on climate change, housing, workforce development, the opioid crisis and more. Mills said in the release that she asked Pingree to lead the office because she knew she had the ability to bring people together and develop innovative solutions based on her background in local and state government. Under Pingree's leadership, GOPIF helped advance legislation that created the Maine Climate Council to support the state in meeting its greenhouse gas emission reduction goals while investing in local infrastructure. Pingree served as co-chair of the council, which also created the state's climate action plan that outlines strategies for electrifying transportation and home heating, among other initiatives. Pingree's office has worked to expand housing options in the state amid a shortage of thousands of units. The agency designed programs such as the Rural Affordable Rental Housing Program and the Affordable Homeownership Program, which have helped create hundreds of new single-family homes and rental units. 'She and her team at GOPIF have exceeded my expectations at every step, and I look forward to watching her do great things for Maine in the years to come,' Mills said of Pingree. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
