{"id":2650134,"date":"2026-08-26T18:03:01","date_gmt":"2026-08-26T22:03:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gop-nominee-for-maine-governor-supports-ice-at-polling-sites\/"},"modified":"2026-08-26T18:06:32","modified_gmt":"2026-08-26T22:06:32","slug":"gop-nominee-for-maine-governor-supports-ice-at-polling-sites","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gop-nominee-for-maine-governor-supports-ice-at-polling-sites\/","title":{"rendered":"GOP nominee for Maine governor supports ICE at polling sites"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/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%2Fgop-nominee-for-maine-governor-supports-ice-at-polling-sites%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=2650134&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>Bobby Charles, the Republican candidate for Maine governor, is attracting criticism after revealing his plan to ask white House <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wh-gov-changes-site-to-read-biden-harris-white-house\/\" title=\"Wh.gov changes site to read Biden-Harris White House\">border czar<\/a> tom Homan to deploy federal officers, including ICE agents and U.S. Marshals, to polling stations during the midterm elections. Charles indicated he would leverage his friendship with homan to secure these border enforcement agencies&#8217; presence at voting sites, a move considered highly unusual and perhaps illegal, as federal officers are prohibited from interfering in elections. Maine Democratic leaders condemned the proposal, arguing it could intimidate voters and is likely against the law. Charles justified his request by citing concerns about preventing illegal voting and violence, asserting he does not want to intimidate lawful voters. Both he and his opponent, Democrat Hannah Pingree, are vying to succeed Governor Janet Mills. The controversy amplifies debates around election security and federal intervention at polling locations.  <\/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\">Bobby Charles, the Republican nominee for <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/maine\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"193\">Maine<\/a> governor, is coming under fire from Democrats after the candidate revealed he would personally ask White House border czar <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/tom-homan\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"11681\">Tom Homan<\/a> to dispatch federal officers to the state\u2019s polling locations for the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/2026-election\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"11675\">midterm elections<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Speaking at an Aug. 20 meeting with Maine Young Republicans in Arundel, Charles indicated he would leverage his friendship with Homan to get <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/ice\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/ice\/\">Immigration and Customs Enforcement<\/a> and the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/us-marshals-service\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"4014\">U.S. Marshals Service<\/a> to have a presence at the polls on Election Day.<\/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\/4698644\/rob-sand-kamala-harris-2028\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Rob Sand says Kamala Harris shouldn\u2019t run for president in 2028<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/4700252\/mazzei-drummond-republican-runoff-oklahoma-governor\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Trump-backed Mazzei wins GOP primary runoff in Oklahoma governor race<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/4700340\/karen-bass-skips-lahsa-meetings-homelessness-self-appointed-attendance-vs-results\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Karen Bass skips out on multiple LAHSA meetings despite homelessness being central to reelection campaign<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWell, here\u2019s my secret,\u201d Charles said, per an <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/MaineDems\/status\/2092575292049027443\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/x.com\/MaineDems\/status\/2092575292049027443\">audio recording<\/a>. \u201cI have a friend named Tom Homan. Tom and I used to be on Fox all the time together. Tom\u2019s an awesome guy.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cSo I\u2019m going to ask Tom. I\u2019m going to [do it] actually three or four weeks before the election, maybe three. I\u2019m going to make an appeal for ICE and marshals to be at our voting booths,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">His request would be highly unusual, but not out of the ordinary, given what Democrats believe the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/trump-administration\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"339\">Trump administration<\/a> will do in November. ICE enforcement at polling locations has been a concern among many Democratic lawmakers, but the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/department-of-homeland-security\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"3083\">Department of Homeland Security<\/a> assured them there will be no aggressive ICE campaign during the midterm elections. It remains unclear if Homan will act on Charles\u2019s request.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Republican nominee\u2019s comments were first reported by <em>Bangor Daily News<\/em> and later disseminated by the Maine Democratic Party.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cBobby Charles continues to prove that he is a MAGA extremist who will stop at nothing to put himself and his [Make America Great Again] agenda ahead of Mainers,\u201d Devon Murphy-Anderson, the Maine Democratic Party\u2019s executive director, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/mainedems.org\/new-audio-of-bobby-charles-secret-plan-to-invite-trumps-ice-to-maine-polling-locations\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/mainedems.org\/new-audio-of-bobby-charles-secret-plan-to-invite-trumps-ice-to-maine-polling-locations\/\">said in a statement<\/a>. \u201cHis plan to ask Trump\u2019s border czar to send ICE agents to Maine polling places just weeks before Election Day is not only deeply alarming \u2014 it is likely illegal. This is a blatant attempt to intimidate voters and yet another reason Bobby Charles is too extreme for Maine.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, who previously ran for governor in the Democratic primary, also disapproved of the idea. She clarified that sending ICE officers to polling sites is illegal. Under the law, federal officers are prohibited from interfering in elections.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4699299\/platner-supporters-push-write-in-campaign-for-disgraced-candidate-over-democratic-nominee\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"4699299\">PLATNER SUPPORTERS PUSH WRITE-IN CAMPAIGN FOR DISGRACED CANDIDATE OVER DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In defense of his recent remarks, Charles argued federal authorities could help prevent <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/voter-fraud\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"1582\">illegal voting<\/a> or rein in possible violence in Maine. He said no voter who is legally entitled to vote should feel intimidated.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Charles will face Democratic nominee Hannah Pingree, former speaker of the Maine House of Representatives, in November. Both candidates are running to replace Gov. Janet Mills (D-ME), who is leaving office after two terms.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Maine GOP nominee Bobby Charles plans to ask border czar Homan to send federal officers to polling sites<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2159,"featured_media":2650135,"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\/08\/AP26238513246234.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[34382,6203,8364,50823,44308],"class_list":["post-2650134","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-election-security","tag-gop","tag-ice","tag-maine-governor","tag-polling-sites"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP26238513246234.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2650134","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\/2159"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2650134"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2650134\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2650138,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2650134\/revisions\/2650138"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2650135"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2650134"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2650134"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2650134"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}