AUGUSTA — Gov. Janet Mills hasn’t been one to seek attention outside of Maine.

But three months into the second Trump administration, Mills has gained a national profile after clashing with the president at the White House and speaking out as the administration moves to cut off the state’s federal funding.

Some in Maine are looking for her to convert that renown into a run for the U.S. Senate next year when her term as governor ends.

Speculation has circulated in national media since she did not rule it out during an interview with the Portland Press Herald in November.

Mills granted the Press Herald another brief interview this week. Once again, she did not rule out any more campaigns, even as she downplayed the notion of a Senate run next year.

“At this moment, I’m not planning to run for another office,” said Mills, 77.

It’s not clear how much her newfound national reputation as the woman who is standing up to President Donald Trump would help Mills in a run against Republican Sen. Susan Collins. Mills’ feud with the president over transgender athletes and federal funding cuts has generated anger and criticism here, as well as respect and support.

In the interview, Mills stressed that her motivation is to ensure that Maine and national laws are followed, and that she never meant to be Trump’s foil.

“I’ve always said that if (the president) does something good for Maine I will support him, and if he does something that harms the people of our state, I will oppose him,” Mills said in a recent interview. “That remains my position today.”

NATIONAL ATTENTION FOLLOWS FACEOFF

The governor made national headlines in February when she got into a heated exchange with the president over Maine’s policy on transgender athletes during a White House event for governors.

Her “See you in court,” comment challenging Trump went viral and was printed on T-shirts. There are now multiple versions of the T-shirts on Etsy, including some with Mills’ likeness.

And since then, Mills’ name has appeared on signs at political rallies around the state, with supporters galvanized by the governor’s stance while Trump fans call for her impeachment.

She’s also appeared in media well beyond Maine, such as an interview with MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” Mills’ stand against Trump has been covered by The Washington Post, NBC and FOX and even the BBC and the Times of India.

A USA Today columnist mentioned Mills along with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont as leaders of the anti-Trump resistance. And The New York Times recently wrote: “At a time when resistance to Mr. Trump has largely seemed muted by fears of retribution, Ms. Mills … seemed unlikely to emerge as one of his boldest challengers.”

‘THIS HAS ELEVATED HER PROFILE’

“I definitely think this has elevated her profile,” said Jessica Taylor, a political editor for the Cook Political Report, which provides nonpartisan analysis of national elections and campaigns around the country.

Maine doesn’t have a history of flashy politicians. In contrast, Mainers tend to be more understated, though they do rise to the national political stage on occasion, said Dan Shea, a professor of government at Colby College.

“I don’t think she sought it out by any means,” Shea said. “But if you know anything about Janet Mills, you know she is a student of the law. She takes legal issues and judicial process very seriously. So I’m not at all surprised she would respond to the president the way she did at the White House.”

Mills’ moment also comes at a time when Democrats are trying to find the right way to push back on Trump and his policies.

Asked if she has figured that out, Mills said she wasn’t sure and noted that some Republicans have also voiced concerns, including a group of 12 lawmakers who recently wrote a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson opposing budget cuts to Medicaid.

“I’m not taking the positions I’m taking in court and in public because I’m a Democrat,” Mills said. “I’m taking them because the positions I’ve opposed have been harmful to our people and harmful to the rule of law.”

Mills, a former district attorney and attorney general, has said repeatedly that Trump’s seeking to prohibit transgender girls and women from competing in sports contradicts state and federal laws and that the president cannot legally pull federal funding over the issue. She’s framed the issue as being about states’ rights and legal process rather than the rights of transgender athletes.

Trump issued an executive order seeking to prohibit transgender athletes from participating in women’s sports, and his administration is seeking to cut off funding by arguing that Maine is violating Title IX by discriminating against women.

The administration has filed a federal lawsuit against the state over the issue.

But that interpretation of federal Title IX law is untested in the courts. And Maine officials, including Mills, have argued that prohibiting transgender athletes from competing in a way that affirms their gender identity would violate the Maine Human Rights Act.

“No president can create law, whether by tweet, Instagram post, Facebook post, press release or executive order,” Mills said. “The Constitution is clear. It gives that power to make laws to Congress, and only Congress. The president’s obligation is to take care that the laws are faithfully executed. If he wants to change the law … there are ways for him to do that that he has not done.”

SUPPORT AND CRITICISM

The governor’s refusal to capitulate to the Trump administration has attracted both criticism and support at home, but it may not change how most people in Maine feel about her.

“I think most Mainers are digging into their partisan predispositions,” Shea said. “The Trump supporters think she’s making a big mistake, but the other side thinks she’s a hero because she’s speaking out against a bully. My guess is there aren’t too many people who have changed their opinions about the governor, but it’s probably been intensified.”

He said, however, that Mills could be seeing a boost in popularity in more liberal southern Maine, where her record as a more centrist Democrat may have held back more enthusiastic liberal support.

Marie Follayttar, an activist who was involved in organizing a protest against Trump policies in Portland this month, agreed.

“People are absolutely cheering and bolstered because they see someone who is going to hold the line on states’ rights (on this issue),” Follayttar said. “We see Janet upholding what is perfectly in line with everything she has always done, and she’s shining.”

But Mills’ position has also generated pushback. An online petition seeking to recall Mills has gathered more than 29,000 signatures, though Maine does not have a recall process in place for governors. It would take impeachment to actually remove her.

“Maine is in jeopardy of losing $240 million in federal funding because she is not going to comply with his executive Title IX order,” organizer Melissa Moulton wrote in a description posted with the petition. “As a woman, I can’t imagine NOT supporting/protecting other women.”

Polling data released this week by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center reflects the polarized assessments of Mills amid the ongoing feud with Trump.

Overall, 52% of respondents said they approve of her performance as governor. But, broken down by party affiliation, Mills has the approval of 92% of Democrats and only 4% of Republicans, according to the survey.

Most of those who approve of Mills cited her opposition to Trump as the primary reason for their support, while most of those who disapprove mentioned her stand on LGBTQ+ issues as the biggest reason.

Asked what kind of feedback she has been getting since the confrontation with Trump, Mills said she is hearing concerns from people on a host of issues related to Trump administration policies.

“People are upset with what’s going on and the unpredictability of the economy and the unpredictability of positions articulated and changing day to day,” she said.

She also brought up Social Security Administration Acting Commissioner Lee Dudek, who admitted last month that he canceled a program that allows parents to register their newborns for a Social Security number while at hospitals in Maine because he was “ticked” at Mills for her interaction at the White House.

“What I said was self-defense,” Mills said. “But the point is, if a person in a position of power can change the Social Security system like that, on a whim, whether it’s in Maine or the whole country, those programs are in jeopardy. That is my big fear.”

POTENTIAL SENATE RUN?

Mills’ publicity has fueled speculation she might challenge Collins next year.

When asked in November, before attracting all the national attention, she said: “Right now, I’ve got two years to finish up my term and do the best I can for the people of Maine. That’s my intent now. I intend to focus on that and nothing else right now.”

Asked again this week, she downplayed the idea but once again didn’t rule it out.

“I’m not planning to do anything right now,” she said. “I’m not planning to run for anything. Things change week to week and month to month, but I’m not at this moment planning to run for another office.”

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, which is dedicated to electing a Democratic majority in the U.S. Senate, did not respond to an email asking if the committee is looking at Mills as a possible candidate in 2026 or if they have had any fundraising conversations with or about her.

But, as an indication of the high stakes in the Maine race and the focus on Mills as a prospective challenger, a national Republican fundraising group released a written statement Friday responding to Mills’ latest statements.

The Senate Leadership Fund characterized Mills’ hedging on the question as a “decision not to run” because her party is in disarray. “While Democrats reel from this recruitment failure and squabble about the direction of their party, Sen. Susan Collins continues to deliver results for the people of Maine with effective and proven leadership.”

Taylor, from the Cook Political Report, said Mills would be a “top-tier candidate” for U.S. Senate, though her age could be a barrier. The governor would turn 78 before the November 2026 election.

“There are certainly plenty of senators in their 80s, though it’s rare to have a freshman that old,” Taylor said.

Collins’ bid for reelection is already being forecast as a pivotal and expensive race.

In recent years, Maine’s senior senator, who is 72, has had to walk a tightrope in navigating Trump’s policies in a battleground state. Her 2020 race against former Maine House Speaker Sara Gideon drew more than $200 million in spending, making it the second-most-expensive Senate race that year.

“Susan Collins is a vulnerable incumbent but we’ve seen her defy the electoral odds before,” Taylor said. “I think the Democrats really need a strong candidate to go up against her, whether that’s Mills or someone else.”

Copy the Story Link