Lawmakers will return to Augusta in the coming weeks to take up the normal course of business for the second year of Maine’s biennial session. They’ll complete their unfinished work from the previous year, tweak the budget and pass a few dozen emergency bills.

But the context will be anything but normal, with the most consequential election season in decades on the horizon. The 2026 cycle features a U.S. Senate race, open races in Congress and for governor, and campaigns for all 186 seats in the Maine Legislature, which Democrats control by a small margin.

Mark Brewer, chair of political science at the University of Maine in Orono, said 2026 is the most consequential he’s seen in his 20 years here. Partisan bickering is common in the second session, but the number of consequential races, plus the tense national political environment, makes 2026 unique.

“It pretty much guarantees that we’re going to have a super-intense, super-partisan legislative session starting in January,” Brewer said.

Here are six things to watch when lawmakers reconvene on Jan. 6.

1. How will Gov. Janet Mills fare?

Maine’s U.S. Senate race will be perhaps the most consequential in the nation. Mills is seeking the Democratic nomination, and her most vocal critic in the Legislature, Rep. Laurel Libby, R-Auburn, is running a Super PAC in support of Mills’ rival, Republican incumbent Sen. Susan Collins.

With carping from the right almost assured, every move Mills makes also risks criticism from the left: Progressive combat veteran and oyster farmer Graham Platner is her highest profile opponent in the Democratic primary.

Mills will have a difficult political needle to thread all session as she makes key policy and budget decisions. Rivals in particular are sure to zero in on her supplemental budget proposal, which will outline her priorities.

They’ll also be closely watching her State of the State address, which has not been scheduled.

Mills was not available for an interview last week, her aids said. But in a written statement she said her top priorities are “to hold down costs for Maine people” by protecting investments in education and municipal revenue sharing and “to consider other options to address the affordability issues.”

Mills pointed to “chaotic federal policies,” including President Donald Trump’s tariffs and the expiration of enhanced subsidies under the Affordable Care Act, as a reason for high costs. But last session, Democrats used their majority to push through an $11.3 billion budget with a series of tax and fee increases.

“I am optimistic that lawmakers will continue to have productive and respectful debates with me and one another,” Mills said. “And I am hopeful that we will continue to make progress heading into the new year.”

2. What will Mills do with unsigned laws?

Awaiting Mills as soon as the legislative session resumes are some 60 bills that lawmakers sent to her desk at the end of the 2025 session.

Since she didn’t sign the bills within 10 days of receiving them, Mills can either veto them within three days of the new session or allow them to become law without her signature.

Mills said she would allow a bill to limit state and local police involvement in Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids to become law without her signature, citing the Trump administration’s aggressive crackdown.

And on Friday, a Mills aid told the Press Herald she would similarly allow a bill increasing regulations on homemade and 3D-printed firearms, also known as ghost guns, to become law.

Another high-profile bill awaiting action would expand Maine tribes’ exclusive access to online sports betting to include electronic table games like poker, roulette and blackjack. Mills’ aids said she is still considering the iGaming bill, among others.

3. Lawmakers looking to make a name for themselves

A cast of other state lawmakers are seeking promotions in November.

Two senators, Rick Bennett, an Oxford Republican-turned-independent, and James Libby, R-Standish; and a representative, Ed Crockett, a Portland Democrat-turned-independent, are running in a wide open governor’s race.

State auditor Matt Dunlap is running in the Democratic primary for the open 2nd Congressional District seat, and state Sen. Joe Baldacci, D-Bangor, is teasing a run as well. State Rep. Tiffany Roberts, D-South Berwick, is mounting a longshot primary challenge against U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree in the 1st District.

Legislative Democrats are clinging to a one-seat majority — plus three Democrat-leaning independents — in the state House of Representatives. In the Senate, Democrats hold a six-seat majority.

Expect plenty of political posturing and messaging.

4. How will lawmakers handle the budget, AI and property taxes?

More than 200 bills were left unfinished when lawmakers left in June. An additional 150 or so bills had been enacted but await funding, including a $1.6 billion proposal to increase cost of living adjustments for state employee pensions.

An additional 80 emergency bills were approved for consideration late last month, many of which responded to federal vaccine policies and cuts to health care and food assistance.

Lawmakers will take up at least two bills seeking to regulate artificial intelligence in mental health services. A task force is looking at ways to ease the property tax burden.

Oh, and the state budget will need to be rebalanced after forecasters predicted $250 million more in state revenue. Mills and lawmakers will have to account for the additional revenue being forecast, including $165 million this fiscal year and $83.3 million next fiscal year.

5. What are the Republican Party’s priorities?

Neither Senate Minority Leader Trey Stewart, R-Presque Isle, nor House Minority Leader Billy Bob Faulkingham, R-Winter Harbor, were available for interviews. But Faulkingham said in a written statement House Republicans would continue to focus on affordability.

“Mainers are burdened with some of the highest taxes and energy costs in the country because of policies we can change at the state level,” Faulkingham said in a written statement.

Legislative Republicans have called on Mills and Democrats to align state tax laws with the One Big Beautiful Bill Act approved by Republicans in Congress. The bill, passed earlier this year, makes the 2017 Trump tax cuts permanent, temporarily exempts tipped and overtime income from taxes and cuts nearly $1 trillion from Medicaid.

In October, the Mills administration directed the state tax assessor to conform to some of the provisions in the bill, while leaving the tip and overtime exemptions and automobile loan interest deductions for lawmakers to decide.

Faulkingham said he expects the upcoming elections to affect work this session.

“Governor Mills has abandoned her moderate positions because of her campaign against a far left progressive in the primary,” Faulkingham said. “This primary campaign has already affected the state negatively by her allowing an anti-ICE bill to become law.”

6. Lawmakers deal with federal cuts

House Speaker Ryan Fecteau, D-Biddeford, said he expects his caucus to focus on responding to federal cuts to healthcare and food assistance under the Trump administration.

Covering the loss of federal funding will be expensive. Maine faced a $29 million shortfall in November when the Trump administration threatened to cut funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program during the federal government shutdown.

Fecteau said lawmakers may want to consider tapping the state’s $1 billion budget stabilization, or rainy day, fund to help cover future losses of federal funding for healthcare and food assistance.

“I think for a lot of Maine people, they feel like it’s a torrential rain,” Fecteau said.