Rick Bennett
What this job does: Maine's top state official. The governor runs the state's departments, proposes the state budget, signs or vetoes bills passed by the Legislature, and picks judges and department heads (the state Senate must confirm them). A term is four years, and a governor can serve no more than two terms in a row.
- Current office
- State Senator, Senate District 18 (Oxford County)
- Occupation
- State senator; president and CEO of ValueEdge Advisors
- Lives in
- Oxford
Background
- Bennett was first elected to the Maine House in 1990, served in the Maine Senate from 1996 to 2004, and returned to the Senate in 2020. source: en.wikipedia.org
- Bennett was President of the Maine Senate in 2001-2002. source: en.wikipedia.org
- Bennett chaired the Maine Republican Party from 2013 to 2016 or 2017 (sources differ). source: mainemorningstar.com
- Bennett announced on June 24, 2025 a run for governor as an independent, leaving the Republican Party. The Forward Party endorsed Bennett in November 2025. source: en.wikipedia.org
- Bennett founded ValueEdge Advisors in 2014 and was CEO of The Corporate Library from 2006 to 2014. source: en.wikipedia.org
In their own words
What the candidate says they will work on, from their campaign site or their answers to news-outlet questionnaires. We list it as stated and do not rate it.
- "Make Housing Affordable." source: bennettforgovernor.com
- "Make Health Care Affordable" and "Make Child Care Affordable." source: bennettforgovernor.com
- "Make Energy Affordable." source: bennettforgovernor.com
- "Delivering a Fairer Tax System." source: bennettforgovernor.com
- "Fix the Corrupt System": Bennett describes the run as "an indictment of the party structure and parties as the solution to solving our problems." source: mainemorningstar.com
Look them up yourself
Latest news
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Something wrong or missing? This profile was compiled from public sources on October 16, 2026. Every fact links to where it came from.