GOP Gubernatorial Candidates

• Matt Jacobson Matthew C. Jacobson, 48, is President and Chief Executive Officer of Maine & Company. Maine & Company is the only organization dedicated exclusively to business attraction and job creation in Maine. When it came time to choose a permanent home with his family, Matt returned to Maine. He is married to Dr. Kemedy Kathryn McQuillen. A graduate of Bowdoin College and the University of Vermont Medical School, Dr. McQuillen is an emergency room physician at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston, Maine. Matt and Kate reside in Cumberland and have two children, Hank and Maggie.
  
• Peter Mills Peter Mills was born in Farmington in 1943 and grew up in Maine. During 16 years in the Legislature, he has served as a Republican lead on Tax, Labor, Judiciary, Appropriations, Education and Health & Human Services Committees. Peter Mills is a native Mainer, a husband, a father, a grandfather, and a business owner, but most importantly for the people of Maine he is a state senator and has spent 16 years as a legislator in Maine.
  
• Less Otten Less Otten worked as senior vice president of marketing and sales for Sunday River Ski Resort, and has been a resort executive for the past 30 years, most recently at Kirkwood Mountain Resort near Lake Tahoe, California. "What Otten did for the Maine tourism industry was nothing short of amazing — turning a tiny day area into one of the most successful resorts in America."Sun Journal
  
• Bruce Poliquin A 3rd generation Waterville native, He played in the neighborhoods, studied in the public schools, and prayed in the churches. Bruce is running for Governor because of his passion to help his home State. During these uncertain times, Maine needs a leader with business management and financial experience. Someone who grew up in Maine and understands our great State and its people. Someone who will spend wisely, reduce taxes, and prudently manage taxpayer dollars.
  
• Paul LePage Paul LePage, mayor of Waterville, and general manager of Marden's, will offer Maine's voters an unusual opportunity next year - the opportunity to elect a chief executive with an actual lifetime of executive experience. Paul's greatest success has been as Mayor of Waterville. As a Republican in a solidly Democrat town, working with a Democrat council he set himself a goal of reducing taxes every year of his tenure and succeeded.
  
• Bill Beardsley Beardsley, 67, of Ellsworth, retired in December after more than 23 years at the helm of Husson University. During Beardsley’s tenure, student enrollment tripled and the degree offerings went from a handful to more than 50. Upon leaving he said he wanted to devote the next few years to ensuring that there are jobs in Maine for Husson’s future graduates. His agenda is focused on a smaller footprint for State government in our lives, on regulatory and tax relief and on advocacy for private sector investment in energy, infrastructure and entrepreneurial ventures.
  
• Steve Abbott Steve Abbott was born and raised in Maine, coming from a family with Maine roots that date back to the 1700s. Steve grew up in Orono, and currently resides in Portland with his wife Amy and their two children. For the past 12 years, Steve has served the citizens of Maine as Chief of Staff to U.S. Senator Susan M. Collins. His plan for putting Maine firmly on sound economic ground by the time the state celebrates its bicentennial in 2020 is called Maine Vision 2020. Abbott is also calling for the reform of social services programs, saying the state offers some of the most generous welfare benefits in the country. He supports strengthening the governor's line item veto power.