Skip to main content
The Full Record
Menu

Governor of Maine

Bobby Charles

Attorney and former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (2003–2005)R

Race
Governor of Maine
Election
2026-11-03
Opponents
Hannah Pingree (D); Rick Bennett (IND)
Research
Basic

Party linenone

No recorded floor votes — not a current legislator in our records.

Said vs. did0 statements · 0 votes

Bobby Charles is the Republican nominee for governor. A lawyer who grew up in Wayne, Maine, he served as Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs from 2003 to 2005 and later founded a consulting firm in Washington, D.C.[1][2]

On the ballotGovernor

2026-11-03

Hannah Pingree Dchallenger
Bobby Charles Rchallenger
Rick Bennett INDchallenger

Maine has no lieutenant governor.

Biography

Bobby Charles is the Republican nominee for governor. A lawyer who grew up in Wayne, Maine, he served as Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs from 2003 to 2005 and later founded a consulting firm in Washington, D.C.[1][2]

Basic profile — the most important sourced facts we found.

Charles grew up in Wayne, Maine, and attended Maranacook High School.[3] He earned a B.A. from Dartmouth College in 1982, an M.A. from Oxford in 1984 and a J.D. from Columbia Law School in 1987.[1][3]

He served as U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs from 2003 to 2005.[1] Charles later founded The Charles Group, a consulting firm based in Washington, D.C.[1]

He is the Republican nominee for governor of Maine in the November 3, 2026 general election.[4]

In their own words

Priorities

  • Eliminating Maine's income tax over four years, rolling back mandates on towns and cities and reducing business regulation.[5]
  • Dismantling the state Department of Health and Human Services, citing the child welfare system.[6]
  • Returning schools to a focus on outcomes.[6]

Statements, quoted without a stance

  • Faster transition away from fossil fuels
    “What we do in this state is not going to change whether greenhouse gases do or don't have an effect on the world,”[7]

    Quoted in The Maine Monitor's Oct. 2, 2026 report on the governor's candidates' energy and climate plans

  • Expand immigration enforcement and deportations
    “this country was built on immigrants, but it was also built on respect for the Constitution and on respect for law.”[8]

    At a Sept. 23, 2026 town hall in Lewiston, per Maine Morning Star

Campaign moneyNo FEC filing summary matched — state candidates file with their state, not the FEC.

Profile: /people/bobby-charles

Compare all 3 candidates side by side ›

Sources cited in this profile

  1. 1.Robert B. Charles · Wikipedia · 2026-10-21 Reference
  2. 2.GOP candidate Charles vows to dismantle DHHS during Lewiston town hall · Spectrum News Maine · 2026-09-24 News report
  3. 3.Bobby Charles for Maine Governor · Bobby Charles campaign website Candidate's own words
  4. 4.Bobby Charles · Ballotpedia Reference
  5. 5.Two Maine candidates for governor face off in Auburn · Spectrum News Maine · 2026-02-26 News report
  6. 6.GOP candidate Charles vows to dismantle DHHS during Lewiston town hall · Spectrum News Maine · 2026-09-24 News report
  7. 7.Maine's next governor will walk a tightrope between energy affordability and climate action · The Maine Monitor · 2026-10-02 News report
  8. 8.With Christie by his side, Bobby Charles distances himself from Trump · Maine Morning Star · 2026-09-24 News report