The Manufacturers Association of Maine will team up with another trade association to host a debate that could help sort out Maine’s crowded field of candidates for governor.
The Gubernatorial Forum will be held on Friday, May 8, at 1 p.m., as part of the MAME Annual Manufacturing Summit. The Point in South Portland will be the venue.
Debate moderators will be John Lewis, executive director of the Manufacturers Association of Maine, and Krysta West, executive director of the Maine Forest Products Council, which is co-hosting the event.
The forum will focus on issues affecting Maine’s business climate, workforce development and economic competitiveness.
“With several candidates seeking the governor’s office, it is important for Maine employers to hear directly from them about the policies that will shape our state’s economic future,” Lewis said. “Manufacturing and forest products remain foundational industries in Maine, and this forum gives candidates an opportunity to engage directly with the employers and workers who help drive our economy.”
Gov. Janet Mills, a Democrat in the final stretch of her second term, is seeking the Democratic nomination in the race for the Senate seat now held by U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine.
For the Gubernatorial Forum, the roster of candidates is expected to include Shenna Bellows, Rick Bennett, Jonathan Bush, Angus King III, Bobby Charles, David Jones, Garrett Mason, Owen McCarthy, Ben Midgley and Nirav Shah.
Hannah Pingree, a Democrat, is not part of the lineup.
“Due to the number of declared candidates and time constraints, participation in the forum was limited based on publicly available polling and campaign fundraising data,” the host associations said in a news release.
Maine’s primary will be June 9; the general election will be Nov. 3.
Two leading industries
The forum provides an opportunity for candidates to hear directly from leaders across two of Maine’s most significant industries.
“Maine’s heritage forest industry contributes $8.3 billion to the state’s economy each year, supporting more than 29,000 jobs across all 16 counties,” West said. “This forum provides forest sector and manufacturing businesses an important opportunity to meet the candidates, educate them about the challenges and opportunities facing our industries, and learn more about their plans for the future.”
The MAME Summit will be a full-day event this year, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., reflecting the importance of the policy and workforce issues facing Maine manufacturers across the country, organizers said.
In addition to the Gubernatorial Forum, the event will feature updates on Maine’s manufacturing sector, workforce initiatives, policy and advocacy priorities. There will also be exhibitor displays and networking opportunities.
