I am urging Gov. Mills not to run for Senate against Susan Collins. Mills has been an exemplary leader, one with integrity who fought for over half a century. Her dedication to public service and to the people of Maine is beyond reproach. However, by running for the Senate she will deprive Mainers the opportunity to elevate another generation of leaders that can continue to fight for our state long into the future after Mills is no longer able to serve.

Should Gov. Mills be elected in the fall of 2026 she will be approaching 80 years old, an age that can only suggest that she will serve but one term. That will not allow Maine to build the seniority that is so vital to protecting the interests of our state, which is woefully underrepresented in Congress. 

Perhaps serving in the Senate would be a great capstone to her storied career, but this move is robbing Mainers of the opportunity to shape our future and to manage the coming challenges. 

Time is a precious and finite resource. It is my hope that Gov. Mills will do what is right for the state of Maine and for the next generation of leadership by stepping aside and recognizing that hers has come.

Jed Rathband
Portland