PORTLAND, (NEWS CENTER Maine) – Voters heading to the polls have roughly five weeks to decide who they want to be Maine’s next governor.
That’s when one of seven democrats and one of four republicans will emerge as gubernatorial nominee for their respective parties.
On Monday and Tuesday, NEWS CENTER Maine a Republican and Democratic forum where candidates had a chance to answer questions from our journalists and viewers.
Tuesday’s Republican forum had a few fireworks.
Businessman Shawn Moody, considered by some to be a frontrunner in the governor's race, drew attacks from his opponents about his lack of government experience.
House minority leader, Ken Fredette, and senate majority leader, Garrett Mason put Moody on the spot about his lack of experience in government.
“I didn't really hear how Shawn was going to deal with Medicaid expansion,” said Fredette after Moody had responded a question about funding an expanded Medicaid program.
Moody is the only republican in the race who's never held elective office or a cabinet post, something he said he's proud of.
“People are looking for an outsider,” he said. “I think that the establishment people get into politics for an extended period of time and become part of the system.”
Moody also got a chance to fire back and criticized the two legislators for not dealing with big items in a timely, effective way, particularly on Medicaid expansion.
“We're going to have to work the legislature and find some way to fund but it's interesting to me, the legislature went home,” Moody said to Fredette and Mason.
Other issues discussed in Tuesday’s forum included whether or the state Department of Health and Human Services needs to be more transparent after the deaths of two children.
Former DHHS commissioner Mary Mayhew said the public has a right to hold the agency accountable but DHHS must also respect privacy.
“It’s hard for me,” she said. “I don't have any personal knowledge of those two cases. At the end of the day people absolutely it is about making sure that the public has an understanding of where improvements have to be made.”
The GOP forum’s final question focused on ranked choice voting.
Each candidate gave a slightly different answer though they all criticized the methodology their party filed a lawsuit to stop.
“We're all concerned about the integrity of our election process with this foolish ranked choice voting,” said Mayhew. “I'm just concerned about people not turning out to vote because of the confusing nature of this.”
Meanwhile in Monday’s Democratic forum, a significant amount of time was spent discussing firearms and gun violence.
Many of the candidates said gun owners need to be at the table while a solution to curb the rising number of mass shootings is crafted.
“We need to be able to get the people who understand the safety of guns to the table instead of the organizations,” said former Biddeford mayor, Donna Dion, reaching out to Maine gun owners.
She wasn't the only Democrat with a message for them.
“Gun owners can be responsible, gun owners are not the enemy,” said state legislator, Mark Dion. “They need to be a collaborative partner.”
A number of other candidates in our forum agreed with this stance.
NRA ratings, however, proved to be a hot potato when former Maine house speaker, Mark Eves, called out Attorney General, Janet Mills.
People are looking for distinctions and differentiations and my seatmate received multiples As and A+ ratings from the NRA,” said Eves, directing his words towards Mills.
Mills responded promptly, saying the ratings were given a long time ago and they don’t worry her.
“I don't care about ratings,” she said to Eves. “I got ratings from all kinds of groups, I didn't support open carry, that got passed under your leadership. I supported a bill that allowed guns to get taken away from domestic abusers.”
Among the seven democrats, there was also consensus that Maine has an opioid problem and more treatment and prevention is needed.
Activist Betsy Sweet said there should be another component too.
“I also want to talk about what's underlying it, we don't have access to adequate mental health services,” she said.
On the economy, businessman Adam Cote, talked about his experience.
He sees opportunity if Maine can foster more innovation.
“I look at Maine with agriculture and aquaculture also renewable energy … I see Maine as a global leader in this,” he said.
For former legislator Diane Russell, economic growth can is possible but education is key to getting there.
“That's not going to happen if we don't have a real conversation about student debt,” she said “It's why I worked so hard with a group of people to pass the Opportunity Maine program.”
The seven candidates have roughly five weeks to reach undecided voters before the June 12th primary.