A new poll shows the race for governor of Maine has no clear frontrunner in either the Republican or Democratic parties ahead of June’s primary.
The Pan American poll shows no candidate in either party has reached 30 percent in a crowded field of candidates on both sides.
Angus King III and Nirav Shah are tied for the early edge among Democrats (24% each) followed by Hannah Pingree (18%) and Shenna Bellows (16%).
Former Assistant U.S. Secretary of State Bobby Charles has the early lead among Republicans (26%), but name recognition remains a significant hurdle for the GOP field, as at least 45% of primary voters indicated they are not familiar with each of the candidates tested.
In fact, a majority of Republican primary voters are not familiar with the party’s leading candidates, except for Charles, who has a 45% “not familiar” rate.
The Pan American Poll surveyed 367 likely Democratic primary voters and 298 likely Republican primary voters. The poll was conducted between February 13 and March 2, 2026
The overall Pan American poll has a margin of sampling error of 3.7%
