This article is more than 12 years old. See today’s top stories here.

13 Maine Republicans Are Done With The GOP, Decide To Leave Party

State Republicans Flee From The GOP

Citing a long list of problems, 13 members of the Maine Republican Party are leaving the GOP.

In a Sunday letter obtained by the Bangor Daily News, the group singled out the RNC, Congressional Republicans, Maine Republican legislators and Gov. Paul LePage's administration as factors in the decision.

"We can no longer associate ourselves with a political party that goes out of its way to continually restrict our freedoms and liberties as well as reaching deeper and deeper into our wallets," the group wrote.

Recently-elected Maine GOP Chairman Rick Bennett reacted to the news, telling Maine Today that he was sad to see them go, but still saw a "very broad" party before him.

“I regret losing them from the party, but our party remains a very broad party,” Bennett said. “My job isn’t to pick sides."

20 Years OfFreeJournalism
Your Support Fuels Our Mission
Your Support Fuels Our Mission

For two decades, HuffPost has been fearless, unflinching, and relentless in pursuit of the truth. Support our mission to keep us around for the next 20 — we can't do this without you.

We remain committed to providing you with the unflinching, fact-based journalism everyone deserves.

Thank you again for your support along the way. We’re truly grateful for readers like you! Your initial support helped get us here and bolstered our newsroom, which kept us strong during uncertain times. Now as we continue, we need your help more than ever. We hope you will join us once again.

We remain committed to providing you with the unflinching, fact-based journalism everyone deserves.

Thank you again for your support along the way. We’re truly grateful for readers like you! Your initial support helped get us here and bolstered our newsroom, which kept us strong during uncertain times. Now as we continue, we need your help more than ever. We hope you will join us once again.

Support HuffPost

According to the Maine Sun Journal, leading the exodus was RNC member Mark Willis of Washington County, former Senate candidate Scott D'Amboise of Lisbon, and former state party chair challenger Sam Canders. Willis said that to stop others from leaving, the party must start "governing like Republicans are supposed to be," the Sun Journal reported.

Close

What's Hot