WINDHAM, Maine — Former Maine governor and Republican gubernatorial candidate Paul LePage accepted an endorsement Tuesday from the Associated Builders and Contractors Maine chapter, what his campaign is calling the first large endorsement of the 2022 race to the Blaine House.
It was also LePage's first public appearance since the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. He said Mainers know him and that he has an 8-year record where he never changed abortion laws.
"You've never seen me go into that arena," LePage said. "I'm more concerned about the fiscal and economic issues here in Maine."
LePage added that the record-high inflation and child protective services are more of a concern to him.
"I don't have time for abortion. It's that simple," LePage said. "I don't think in the next four years that that is going to capture that much of my time. There's just so much that needs to be done that to me is critical for all Mainers. Abortion affects few Mainers."
In the most recent data from the Guttmacher Institute, there were more than 860,000 abortions in 2017 and more than 2,000 of them were in Maine. Not all procedures were performed exclusively with Maine residents, as some people traveled for the procedure from other states that don't offer abortion services.
Candidates from Maine's 2nd congressional district also spoke on the topic at the Tuesday event.
With his daughter in tow, Democratic U.S. Rep. Jared Golden said Congress needs to step up.
"I believe that in the absence of Roe that members of Congress should be trying to codify the protections that Roe afforded to women across the country," Golden said.
Former Congressman Bruce Poliquin, was joined by Rep. Steve Scalise, R-Louisiana, at a campaign stop in Bangor. Poliquin told reporters abortion should be up to the states.
"I'm pro-life, very proud of it. But even if you're pro-choice, and that's fine if that's what you believe in, that's your position. The state of Maine has protections. Abortion is allowed in the state of Maine," Poliquin said.
Tiffany Bond, an independent running against Golden and Poliquin, said the following in a Twitter post:
"Roe wasn't only a decision about reproductive freedom; it's a fundamental right against an overbearing and oppressive government," Bond said. "Our business isn't government business. Friday's Dobbs ruling hurts us all."