Paul LePage
Maine’s 2nd (ME - 02)
Updated: October 16, 2026
Overview
Paul LePage is making life more expensive for everyday Mainers and making life harder for seniors. Matt Dunlap is an independent leader who puts Maine first.
SUMMARY:
In the final weeks before the election, moderate voters, especially moderate women ages 35-59, need to read mail and see ads on broadcast and cable in the Portland, Bangor and Presque Isle media markets about how Paul LePage is lying about protecting Mainers’ Social Security and health care:
- Paul LePage claims he saved rural hospitals. But as Governor, LePage vetoed a bill to keep rural hospitals open. He even vetoed Medicaid expansion six times, threatening the funding rural hospitals rely on to keep their doors open. Now he backs Washington’s rural healthcare cuts that threaten coverage for more than 40,000 Mainers and strip funding from local hospitals and clinics.
- Paul LePage claims he’ll protect Social Security. In reality, he called it welfare. As Governor, Paul LePage called Social Security and Medicare “welfare, pure and simple.” LePage also vetoed funding for Meals on Wheels, refused federal funding for Alzheimer’s and dementia programs, and blocked millions for affordable senior housing.
On YouTube, streaming and Meta, voters need to see contrast between Paul LePage and Matt Dunlap:
- Paul LePage vetoed Medicaid expansion six times, denying funding for rural hospitals and called Social Security and Medicare “welfare, pure and simple.”
- Matt Dunlap is an independent leader who will lower healthcare costs, protect Social Security, and fight to lower the cost of gas and home heating oil.
Additional Resources
- Voters are currently seeing LePage advertise a “record” of protecting rural hospitals and Social Security. Voters need to know that these claims are false.
- Qualitative research suggests that home heating oil costs are a uniquely impactful issue in Maine.
- B-roll is linked here.
- {Backup}
- Paul LePage (ME-02) Research Report
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