The Forward Party has endorsed Maine State Senator Rick Bennett in his independent bid for governor, saying this month that his campaign represents “the next chapter of Maine’s tradition of putting people ahead of parties.”
In a November 12 statement, the national Forward Party praised Bennett as a principled and pragmatic leader whose record aligns with the organization’s focus on accountability and reform. It credited his history of bipartisanship and decision this year to leave the Republican Party to mount an independent campaign as examples of “the kind of integrity on which the Forward Party is built.”
Bennett, a past chair of the Maine Republican Party, unenrolled from the GOP in June to pursue his campaign, saying in an interview at the time that his run is “not an indictment of either party” but rather “an indictment of the party structure and parties as the solution to solving our problems.” As a senator, he has represented Oxford County since 2020 and previously served as Senate president. Before that, he served several terms in the Legislature.
The party said its support reflects ongoing efforts to back candidates who “put community before conflict,” referencing its 2025 election results, in which over a dozen Forward-endorsed candidates were elected to local and state offices nationwide. It called Bennett’s campaign “the next step in bringing that vision to Maine” and its first endorsement of the 2026 election cycle, adding that additional announcements are expected in the months ahead.
“Rick Bennett is the kind of leader Maine deserves—independent-minded, honest, and committed to solving problems instead of defending a party line,” said Kayla Berube, the Forward Party’s national political director. “Maine has never waited for Washington or political parties to tell it what to do. Neither does Rick. That’s why we’re proud to stand with him.”
The party also announced that Forward co-founder and former New Jersey Governor Christine Todd Whitman will join Bennett on November 20 in Portland for a public discussion on leadership and civic trust. The joint appearance will explore how local leaders can strengthen civic institutions, promote collaboration, and advance the common good during what the party regards as periods of political division.
Following its endorsement, Bennett thanked the Forward Party on social media, saying he was honored to have its support and writing, “The current political landscape calls for a new approach: cooperation, a sense of responsibility, and a determination to rise above the fray to find solutions. Maine, true to our motto Dirigo—‘I lead’—can and must show the way.”
Not if the “spoils” are sufficient common-sense moderates from both major parties to constitute an effective, conciliatory majority as to the vision of Maine’s future.
As I understand, ranked choice voting in Maine does not apply to candidates for state office, such as governor. Is there any reason to think that Bennett wouldn’t just be a spoiler?