{"id":2611568,"date":"2026-06-07T05:37:02","date_gmt":"2026-06-07T09:37:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/can-a-bush-republican-still-win-in-maine\/"},"modified":"2026-06-07T05:42:13","modified_gmt":"2026-06-07T09:42:13","slug":"can-a-bush-republican-still-win-in-maine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/can-a-bush-republican-still-win-in-maine\/","title":{"rendered":"Can a Bush Republican still win in Maine?"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">16<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fcan-a-bush-republican-still-win-in-maine%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2611568&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>As Republicans vie for Maine\u2019s open governor\u2019s seat, the GOP primary is becoming a showdown between the party\u2019s traditional, establishment-leaning wing and the trump\/MAGA style that now dominates much of the national party. The debate centers on Jonathan Bush, a healthcare entrepreneur and nephew of George H.W. Bush, whose candidacy symbolizes the strain between old party hierarchies and today\u2019s populist direction.<\/p>\n<p>Bush faces six other Republicans in the June 9 primary, with early polling indicating that voters are leaning more toward candidates aligned with Trump-style politics-especially front-runner Bobby Charles. Several strategists note that Maine\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/andrew-yang-has-commanding-lead-in-nyc-mayoral-race-poll-shows\/\" title=\"Andrew Yang Has Commanding Lead In NYC Mayoral ..., Poll Shows\">ranked-choice voting<\/a> could further complicate the race, since lower-ranked candidates\u2019 supporters would be redistributed, potentially changing a candidate\u2019s final standing. some observers also question whether polling is accurately reflecting Bush\u2019s true base strength.<\/p>\n<p>Bush\u2019s campaign emphasizes business credentials and highlights significant self-funding and fundraising, while he positions himself as an outsider-even making jokes about skepticism toward the Bush name.However, some Republican insiders argue he\u2019s a flawed test case for whether establishment Republicans can still compete, citing resurfaced domestic violence allegations tied to his past and describing additional vulnerabilities that could hurt him beyond the primary. Meanwhile, political scientists say Maine\u2019s Republican culture has shifted over the past decade toward a more populist, Trump-aligned identity, making Bush\u2019s \u201ctraditional establishment\u201d profile harder to win with.<\/p>\n<p>Charles, a former Trump-era administration official, has built a campaign that leans heavily into MAGA themes-focused on issues like immigration and crime-while also using more digital and <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >social media-driven tactics compared<\/a> with Bush\u2019s heavier television spending. Still, across the board, Republicans expect they can compete in the general election in November, where ranked-choice voting does not apply and a winner can take the governorship with a plurality. An independent candidate is also expected to be competitive, potentially reshaping the general-election landscape.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/republicans\/\">Republicans<\/a> battle for <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/maine\/\">Maine\u2019s<\/a> gubernatorial nomination, the race is emerging as a test of whether a traditional New England Republican can still compete in a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/republican-party\/\">GOP <\/a>increasingly shaped by <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\">President Donald Trump<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At the center of that debate is <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/premium\/4417705\/maine-bipartisan-brand-political-nepotism\/\">Jonathan Bush<\/a>, a healthcare entrepreneur and nephew of former President George H.W. Bush, whose candidacy has become a symbol of the tension between the Republican Party\u2019s old establishment wing and its MAGA-dominated present.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/4596895\/what-is-ranked-choice-voting\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>What is ranked choice voting?<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/4590248\/california-governor-race-primary-results-becerra-hilton-steyer\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Becerra advances in California gubernatorial primary, with Hilton and Steyer locked in battle for second spot<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/4597521\/trump-slams-california-still-counting-votes-four-days-primary\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Trump slams California for still tallying votes four days after primary<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Bush is one of seven Republicans competing in the June 9 primary to succeed term-limited Democratic Gov. Janet Mills. The crowded field also includes former Assistant Secretary of State Bobby Charles, former Maine Senate Majority Leader Garrett Mason, businessman David Jones, University of Maine trustee Owen McCarthy, former fitness executive Ben Midgley, and small business owner Robert Wessels.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But while Bush has tried to carve out a lane as a business-oriented outsider with moderate instincts, early polling suggests Republican primary voters are gravitating toward candidates more closely aligned with Trump-style politics. A<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.surveyusa.com\/client\/PollReport.aspx?g=cd7e1ef3-e886-4373-b420-f91e2d97c946\"> recent University of New Hampshire poll<\/a> found Charles leading the field with 37% support, followed by Bush at 18% and Midgley at 11%. Another poll modeling Maine\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/glenn-youngkin-wins-gop-nomination-for-governor-of-virginia\/\" title=\"Glenn Youngkin Wins ... Nomination For Governor Of Virginia\">ranked-choice voting system<\/a> showed Charles ultimately defeating Bush 59% to 41% after redistributed ballots.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mike Leavitt, a Maine Republican strategist and founder of Red Maverick Media, said Charles has clearly emerged as the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/greg-lopez-to-serve-out-remainder-of-ken-buck-term-in-the-house-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"Greg Lopez to serve out remainder of Ken Buck term in the House - Washington Examiner\">front-runner heading<\/a> into the final days of the race.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cBobby Charles is in the driver\u2019s seat,\u201d Leavitt said. \u201cThe question is what impact ranked-choice voting is going to have.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Another Maine Republican operative questioned whether public polling has accurately captured the dynamics of the race, arguing that surveys may overestimate support for Bush because they rely on inflated samples of unenrolled voters.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cBush has very little on-the-ground support,\u201d the operative said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the race candidly. \u201cHe\u2019s got name recognition, and he spent a ton on TV, but he is not going to win the Maine Republican primary.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Maine\u2019s ranked-choice voting system, first approved by voters in 2016 and reaffirmed in a second referendum two years later, allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference. If no candidate wins a majority outright, lower-performing candidates are eliminated and their votes redistributed until someone crosses 50%. Several Republicans interviewed for this story also cautioned that Maine\u2019s ranked-choice voting system makes the primary unusually difficult to model, particularly because supporters of lower-performing candidates could ultimately decide the winner through redistributed ballots.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Leavitt said Bush may struggle to consolidate support beyond his initial base.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cHis high watermark is probably going to be the first ballot,\u201d Leavitt said. \u201cI think it\u2019s going to be very difficult for him to garner second-ballot votes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Charles, a former Reagan and Bush administration official, has run a staunchly MAGA-aligned campaign focused on immigration, crime, and opposition to Democratic policies. Despite positioning himself as one of the most pro-Trump candidates in the race, Charles has not secured Trump\u2019s endorsement. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich recently endorsed him, comparing Charles favorably to Trump.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Bush, meanwhile, has leaned heavily into his outsider image rather than his political lineage. In campaign ads, he jokes about voter skepticism toward the Bush family name.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI know what you\u2019re thinking, not another Bush,\u201d the candidate <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/wabbMRBtqS4?si=m1sUTT9-DvwaaG1f\">says in one ad<\/a>. \u201cBut hear me out.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He has emphasized his business credentials, highlighting the relocation of his healthcare technology company, Athenahealth, from Massachusetts to Maine in 2007, a move that brought roughly 1,000 jobs to the state. Bush has also poured substantial personal resources into the race, raising roughly $1.3 million and contributing nearly $877,000 of his own money.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Still, some Republicans argue Bush is an imperfect test case for whether a more establishment-style Republican can still succeed in today\u2019s GOP.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI get the framing that this is a Bush in a Trump era,\u201d said a Maine Republican strategist familiar with the race who spoke on background to discuss internal GOP dynamics candidly. \u201cBut the idea of Jonathan being the test subject to this is really not a fair study, because he\u2019s such an incredibly flawed candidate.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The strategist pointed to past <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bangordailynews.com\/2025\/10\/20\/politics\/elections\/domestic-violence-incidents-jonathan-bush-joam40zk0w\/\">domestic violence allegations <\/a>involving Bush that resurfaced after divorce filings became public years ago, in which the candidate acknowledged assaulting his ex-wife. Bush later resigned from Athenahealth after the filings became public. Bush\u2019s ex-wife, Sarah Selden Bush, has since publicly defended him and endorsed his campaign.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cJonathan is a loving father. A man of decency who cares deeply about the state of Maine,\u201d she said in a statement released by the campaign. \u201cI support him and I hope the people of Maine will too.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The strategist argued Bush\u2019s political struggles stem from both the ideological direction of Republican primaries and his own personal baggage.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe more establishment sort of anti-Trump candidate is not going to win,\u201d the strategist said. \u201cBut it\u2019s also complicated because he\u2019s got these things in his past that I don\u2019t think he could survive in a general election with.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mark Brewer, a political science professor at the University of Maine, said Bush represents a style of Republicanism that has largely faded from prominence nationally.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIf you\u2019re looking at the Republican Party nationally, the old establishment wing represented certainly by George H.W. Bush is really kind of persona non grata within the party anymore,\u201d Brewer said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Brewer said Maine Republicans historically differed from the national GOP because the state long supported a more moderate, Northeastern brand of Republican politics associated with figures such as Sen. Susan Collins and former Sen. Olympia Snowe.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But the Maine GOP has in recent years increasingly embraced a more populist, Trump-aligned identity. Former two-term Republican Gov. Paul LePage, a populist Tea Party-era conservative, remains popular and is the presumptive nominee for Maine\u2019s 2nd Congressional District.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cLePage likes to say that he was Trump before Trump,\u201d Brewer said. \u201cAnd I think if we look at the last 15 years of the Republican Party in Maine, it\u2019s definitely changed.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That evolution, Brewer said, has made it harder for candidates similar to Bush to win Republican primaries, even in blue-leaning states where moderate Republicans historically performed well.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cBush is really the only one that fits that traditional establishment-type Republican model in whole,\u201d Brewer said. \u201cI think he\u2019s got a tough road to come out of this primary.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Leavitt, however, cautioned against viewing the race strictly through a \u201cBush versus MAGA\u201d lens, arguing the dynamics are also being shaped by broader changes in campaign strategy and media consumption.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI think it\u2019s really a transition away from traditional campaigns that have primarily been done on television,\u201d Leavitt said. \u201cBobby Charles\u2019s campaign has been heavily focused on digital and social media, and they\u2019ve done a heck of a job.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Bush and allied groups have spent heavily on television advertising throughout the race, while Charles has relied more heavily on digital outreach and social media messaging.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Regardless of who wins the GOP primary, Republicans remain optimistic about their chances of flipping the governor\u2019s mansion in November.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Unlike the primary, Maine does not use ranked-choice voting in gubernatorial general elections because of constitutional restrictions, meaning a candidate can win with only a plurality of the vote. An independent candidate, former state Sen. Rick Bennett, is also expected to run a competitive general election campaign, possibly reshaping the race.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe person that wins this race for governor is going to win it with a plurality, not a majority,\u201d Leavitt said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/premium\/4417705\/maine-bipartisan-brand-political-nepotism\/\"><strong>MAINE\u2019S BIPARTISAN BRAND OF POLITICAL NEPOTISM<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He added that Maine\u2019s political culture is often misunderstood by national observers who view the state strictly through a partisan lens.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThere\u2019s really an independent streak here,\u201d Leavitt said. \u201cPeople in Maine don\u2019t like being told what to think or do by people \u2018from away.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As Republicans vie for Maine governor, Jonathan Bush tests whether a New England GOP legacy candidate can still compete in a Trump-shaped party<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2657,"featured_media":2611569,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26156466628051.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[6571,9148,32504,32085,35343],"class_list":["post-2611568","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-elections","tag-maine","tag-political-strategy","tag-republican-party","tag-u-s-politics"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26156466628051.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2611568","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2657"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2611568"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2611568\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2611572,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2611568\/revisions\/2611572"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2611569"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2611568"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2611568"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2611568"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}