Trump ally and former Maine Republican Gov. Paul Lepage goals for a political comeback

[ad_1] LEWISTON, MAINE - EXCLUSIVE - Former two-term Gov. Paul LePage of Maine says President Donald Trump is a serious motive why he is popping out of political retirement at age 76 – and he is eyeing a marketing campaign comeback.

"I by no means, ever had any aspirations to go to Washington till now," LePage stated this week in his first nationwide interview after launching his bid for the Home in Maine's Second Congressional District, which is a prime swing seat the GOP goals to flip within the 2026 midterm elections.

The competition will doubtless be some of the intently watched Home races within the nation subsequent yr because the Republicans goal to carry their fragile majority within the chamber.

"Donald Trump, I believe, is doing what is critical in addressing the debt this nation is going through. And I believe that is a giant, large factor for me," LePage stated as he was interviewed within the Maine metropolis the place he was born and raised.

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<img src="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/1200/675/paul-lepage-fox-news-intv-lewiston-me-may-7-2025.jpg?ve=1&tl=1" alt="Former Republican Gov. Paul LePage, who is running for the House in 2026 in Maine's 2nd Congressional District, speaks with Fox News Digital in Lewiston, Maine, on May 7, 2025, in his first interview after announcing his candidacy. " width="1200" height="675"/> Former Republican Gov. Paul LePage, who's working for the Home in 2026 in Maine's 2nd Congressional District, speaks with Fox Information Digital in Lewiston, Maine, on Could 7, 2025, in his first interview after asserting his candidacy. (Fox Information - Paul Steinhauser)

LePage highlighted, "I've a good friend within the White Home proper now. I do know President Trump. I believe I can have an viewers of President Trump. I do know a number of of his secretaries very nicely. And so I believe this can be a good time. It is a good time for me to go assist."

LePage – the brash and blunt politician who gained over blue-collar staff combating financial woes, which helped the Republican businessman win election and re-election within the blue-leaning state – was one of many first main GOP elected officers to endorse Trump when the president first ran for the White Home almost a decade in the past.

"I used to be Donald Trump earlier than Donald Trump grew to become standard," LePage joked on the time, in a line that is since turn into well-known.

The conservative governor, who grabbed nationwide consideration with controversial feedback made throughout his tenure, briefly moved together with his spouse, Ann, to Florida after ending his second time period in 2019.

"I'm performed with politics. I've performed my eight years. It’s time for any person else," he stated on the time.

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However LePage re-established residency in Maine 5 years in the past and challenged his successor as governor, Democratic Gov. Janet Mills, within the 2022 election.

LePage ended up shedding his bid for a 3rd time period by 13 factors to Mills, however he did carry the 2nd Congressional District in that race.

Reasonable Democratic Rep. Jared Golden , a U.S. Marine veteran who deployed to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and who typically bucks his personal get together in Congress, has held the seat since first successful it in 2018.

Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine, at a information convention within the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, March 6, 2024, has represented Maine's 2nd Congressional District since first successful the seat in 2018. (Invoice Clark/CQ-Roll Name, Inc. by way of Getty Pictures)

However Golden gained re-election by a razor-thin margin final yr within the district, which is the second-most rural within the U.S. and the most important east of the Mississippi River.

And Trump, who carried the district within the 2016, 2020 and 2024 presidential elections by 9, seven and 10 factors, earned an electoral vote every time, as Maine and Nebraska, are the one two states within the union to allocate their electoral votes partially by congressional district.

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Golden, in an announcement after LePage introduced his candidacy, stated, "I assumed Paul was doing his greatest work in retirement."

However the 42-year-old Golden has but to announce whether or not he'll search re-election subsequent yr or as a substitute run for both the state's Senate seat or the open governor's workplace.

In his Fox Information interview, LePage reiterated that the nation's debt is a prime motivation for him to return to politics. As of Could 8, the nationwide debt was $36,212,886,111,158.26, in response to Fox Information' National Debt Tracker.

"It is the spending and the debt that this nation has, and I am frightened about my grandchildren, great-grandchildren. And I believe we've a president now that is actually keen to sort out it, and I’m keen to assist," he stated.

However LePage added that "the opposite factor that's actually large is what's taking place in our nation with the woke atmosphere. I believe I wish to be there to assist clear that up if we are able to. Having boys play in ladies' sports activities is actually unhappy."

He additionally highlighted his Tuesday assembly—a part of a three-day swing via the congressional district—with Maine pupil Cassidy Carlisle, whom he described as "the brave younger girl combating unfair male competitors in ladies’ sports activities."

Maine's 2nd Congressional District shares an extended border with Canada .

When requested if he'll be spotlighting border safety and immigration as main points in his marketing campaign, Lepage stated, "Large time."

However the controversial tariffs the president positioned on nations throughout the globe final month has strained relations with Canada.

<source media="(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/672/378/paul-lepage-gun-shop-poland-maine-may-7-2025-scaled.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/1344/756/paul-lepage-gun-shop-poland-maine-may-7-2025-scaled.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="378" width="672"><source media="(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/931/523/paul-lepage-gun-shop-poland-maine-may-7-2025-scaled.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/1862/1046/paul-lepage-gun-shop-poland-maine-may-7-2025-scaled.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="523" width="931"> Former Maine Gov. Paul LePage, who's working a Republican marketing campaign for Congress in 2026, speaks to a voter at a gun store and indoor firing vary, on Could 7, 2025, in Poland, Maine. (Fox Information - Paul Steinhauser)

"I am all for the tariffs," LePage stated. "The tariffs will repair our worldwide commerce and decrease taxes."

LePage acknowledged: "Is it going to harm within the brief time period? Yeah, it is going to damage somewhat bit within the brief time period, however I believe it's a necessity."

And he predicted that "the tariffs are going to be a short-term downside. I believe they will settle out."

LePage spoke with Fox Information at Lewiston's Franco Heart, a performing arts middle and historic website of Franco-American tradition situated in a former Gothic church in-built 1907 for French Canadian immigrants in Maine, which is situated alongside town's historic mills and canals.

<source media="(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/672/378/paul-lepage-franco-center-lewiston-me-may-7-2025-scaled.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/1344/756/paul-lepage-franco-center-lewiston-me-may-7-2025-scaled.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="378" width="672"><source media="(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/931/523/paul-lepage-franco-center-lewiston-me-may-7-2025-scaled.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/1862/1046/paul-lepage-franco-center-lewiston-me-may-7-2025-scaled.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="523" width="931"> <img src="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/1200/675/paul-lepage-franco-center-lewiston-me-may-7-2025-scaled.jpg?ve=1&tl=1" alt="Former Maine Gov. Paul LePage, who's running a 2026 Republican campaign for Congress, tours the Franco Center, a performing arts center and historic site of Franco-American culture located in a former Gothic church in the city of Lewiston, on May 7, 2025. Lepage was baptized as a child in the church." width="1200" height="675"/> Former Maine Gov. Paul LePage, who's working a 2026 Republican marketing campaign for Congress, excursions the Franco Heart, a performing arts middle and historic website of Franco-American tradition situated in a former Gothic church within the metropolis of Lewiston, on Could 7, 2025. Lepage was baptized as a toddler within the church. (Fox Information - Paul Steinhauser)

The previous governor, who survived a troubling and sometimes brutal upbringing, gave Fox Information a tour of the numerous dwellings inside blocks of the Franco Heart, the place he spent his childhood.

The eldest son of 18 kids, LePage grew up talking French in an impoverished dwelling with an alcoholic and abusive father who was a mill worker .

At age 11, he ran away from dwelling after his father beat him and broke his nostril. He lived on the streets of Lewiston and sometimes crashed on pals' couches for a few years earlier than incomes a residing shining sneakers, washing dishes at a restaurant, and haling bins for a neighborhood truck driver.

"I had a really, very, tough upbringing as a youth. We had been in welfare, we had been in poverty," he stated.

Former Maine Gov. Paul LePage factors within the location of a constructing the place he lived throughout his childhood, in Lewiston, Maine, on Could 7, 2025. (Fox Information - Paul Steinhauser)

LePage, talking within the church the place he was baptized and sought refuge throughout his household troubles, informed Fox Information, "It feels good coming on this constructing. This was a particular constructing. A few nuns and clergymen had been actually useful in my upbringing."

He went on to graduate from highschool, and with monetary assist from pals, attended and graduated from school.

He later loved success as a businessman, together with drastically increasing Marden's Surplus and Salvage, a Maine-based low cost retailer chain.

Years later, he ventured into politics, successful election to the Waterville metropolis council and later serving as town's mayor earlier than successful statewide workplace in 2010.

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The previous governor says his tough childhood has influenced his political life in a manner that not many different politicians can perceive.

And he lamented, "Sadly, the mentality within the present society is to not assist folks get out of poverty, however it's to maintain them in poverty."

"I wish to assist get them out of poverty," he stated. "I believe there are such a lot of applications that we are able to institute that can elevate folks in poverty, quite than maintain them."

Paul Steinhauser is a politics reporter primarily based within the swing state of New Hampshire. He covers the marketing campaign path from coast to coast."