Rick's Receipts

Rick Bennett Spent His Entire Life
As a Republican

Rick Bennett has spent years in Maine politics, including serving as Chair of the Maine Republican Party and as a Republican state legislator. He has run for office as a Republican eleven times.

Now running for governor, he’s asking Mainers to evaluate his leadership.

That evaluation should include the full record.

A timeline and breakdown of Rick Bennett’s public record.

Rick Bennett has spent years in Maine politics, including serving as Chair of the Maine Republican Party and as a Republican state legislator. He has run for office as a Republican eleven times.

Now running for governor, he’s asking Mainers to evaluate his leadership. That evaluation should include the full record.

Rick’s Receipts lays out the documented history, votes, and positions that define his out-of-touch and conservative record. All facts. No spin.

Former Republican Rick:

Rick not only supported Donald Trump in 2016, but he also did not withdraw his endorsement of Trump following the release of the Access Hollywood tapes.

Rick bragged about serving as Donald Trump’s Congressional District 02 electoral college elector and went to the Republican National Convention to select Trump as the Republican nominee. Rick now says that he was simply fulfilling his duty as the CD02 college elector. But attending Trump’s January 2017 inauguration was not a required or expected part of his role as the electoral college elector – and Rick still went.

Rick and Donald Trump

Rick Bennett supported Donald Trump

in 2016.

Rick was the Chairman of the Maine Republican Party during Paul LePage’s tenure as Governor – a role Susan Collins endorsed him for and Paul LePage "virtually handpicked” him for.

From 1994 to 2017, Rick supported and received support from Maine Republicans like Governor Paul LePage, Senator Susan Collins, and Linda Bean.

LePage later wrote Rick a recommendation letter for a State Department job in the Trump Administration.

Rick and Paul Lepage

Rick was leading the operation to advance and enact Paul LePage’s dangerous policy agenda. He served on LePage’s transition team and “oversaw” his reelection.

Rick Bennett supported Donald Trump in 2016.

Rick Bennett and Donald Trump

Former Republican Rick:

Rick not only supported Donald Trump in 2016, but he also did not withdraw his endorsement of Trump following the release of the Access Hollywood tapes.

Rick bragged about serving as Donald Trump’s Congressional District 02 electoral college elector and went to the Republican National Convention to select Trump as the Republican nominee. Rick now says that he was simply fulfilling his duty as the CD02 college elector. But attending Trump’s January 2017 inauguration was not a required or expected part of his role as the electoral college elector – and Rick still went.

Rick was leading the operation to advance and enact Paul LePage’s dangerous policy agenda. He served on LePage’s transition team and “oversaw” his reelection.

Rick Bennett and Paul Lepage

Rick was the Chairman of the Maine Republican Party during Paul LePage’s tenure as Governor – a role Susan Collins endorsed him for and Paul LePage "virtually handpicked” him for.

From 1994 to 2017, Rick supported and received support from Maine Republicans like Governor Paul LePage, Senator Susan Collins, and Linda Bean.

LePage later wrote Rick a recommendation letter for a State Department job in the Trump Administration.

Rick and GOP:

Rick Bennett was the Executive Director of the Maine Republican Party from
1986 - 1988. He continued to build a long-career in state and national politics as a Republican:

1990–1994

Republican Legislator, State House District 50

1994

Republican Nominee, second congressional district, where he signed the Contract with America, which included slashing social safety net programs, including food assistance programs.

1995

Coordinator, Senator Dick Lugar’s Maine Presidential Campaign

1996–2004

Republican Legislator, State Senator District 25

1996

Campaign Aide, Robert Monks Senate Campaign

1996–2016

Delegate to the RNC

1998

Assistant Minority Leader, Senate GOP

2005–2009

Member, President Bush’s Commission on White House Fellowships

2008–2012

Maine Committeeman, Republican National Committee

2012

As a Republican candidate for US Senate, Rick criticized his primary opponent for not being conservative enough due to his contributions to a Democratic candidate.

2013–2017

Chairman, Maine Republican Party during Paul LePage’s leadership

2016

Electoral College Elector for Donald Trump

2020–2025

Republican State Senator

Rick Bennett and the GOP: A Timeline

Rick Bennett was the Executive Director of the Maine Republican Party from
1986 - 1988. He continued to build a long-career in state and national politics as
a Republican:

Issues

He is one of the countless Republicans who were staunchly opposed to the Affordable Care Act. Rick called the Affordable Care Act the “hallmark of government inefficiency and overreach” and characterized the program as a “burden.”

Labor:

Maine AFL-CIO releases scorecards every year to grade how state legislators vote on key issues that impact Maine working families, labor, and unions. Here are the receipts on Rick’s scores:

In 2024, Rick got an underwhelming 40% score – a failing grade.
In 2025, once he decided to run for governor, Rick got a 67% score from Maine AFL-CIO.

2024: Rick voted against labor protections for nurses in Maine
2023: He voted to weaken Maine’s child labor laws by allowing students to work 32 hours a week when school was in session

From 2021-2023, Rick repeatedly voted to advance “right to work” bills, including one that could punish workers who enforced mandatory union fees with jail time

HERE ARE THE RECEIPTS

Cost of Living:

While working class families across Maine are working to keep up with rising costs, Rick Bennett’s record shows that he’s out of touch.

HERE ARE THE RECEIPTS

2024: He sided with landlords in voting against a budget that included $76 million for affordable and emergency housing programs.

2022: He opposed an accountability proposal that would hold electric utilities responsible and possibly force them to be sold if they could not improve their service.

As a congressional candidate, Rick supported a federal amendment that would subject Social Security and Medicare to deep cuts.

This federal amendment threatened Americans’ health care, Social Security, and jobs, and was opposed by the AARP.

Abortion and Reproductive Health Care:

People evolve, and we openly invite more Mainers to join the majority of us who strongly defend a woman’s right to choose. But we also cannot ignore the receipts – Rick, as recently as two years ago, voted against abortion rights.

HERE ARE THE RECEIPTS

2022: Rick supported defunding Planned Parenthood.

2024: He voted against putting a referendum to a vote to enshrine abortion protections in Maine’s constitution.

In 2024, the year before Rick decided to run for governor and identify as an independent, he got 38% from Planned Parenthood.

Only in 2025, when he decided to run for statewide office as an Independent, did Rick suddenly earn a 92% score.

Health Care:

Access to affordable, quality health care has been one of the most significant policy debates in Maine over the past decade. Rick Bennett’s record includes opposition to major health coverage expansions and criticism of the Affordable Care Act.

Rick has consistently opposed MaineCare expansion.

He was Chair of the Maine GOP while Paul LePage repeatedly vetoed legislation to expand MaineCare.
In 2017, Rick even tried to reframe Maine’s ballot question to expand MaineCare to confuse voters in an effort to defeat the initiative.

HERE ARE THE RECEIPTS

Issues

Access to affordable, quality health care has been one of the most significant policy debates in Maine over the past decade. Rick Bennett’s record includes opposition to major health coverage expansions and criticism of the Affordable Care Act.

Health Care:

Rick has consistently opposed MaineCare expansion.

He was Chair of the Maine GOP while Paul LePage repeatedly vetoed legislation to expand MaineCare.
In 2017, Rick even tried to reframe Maine’s ballot question to expand MaineCare to confuse voters in an effort to defeat the initiative.

HERE ARE THE RECEIPTS

He is one of the countless Republicans who were staunchly opposed to the Affordable Care Act. Rick called the Affordable Care Act the “hallmark of government inefficiency and overreach” and characterized the program as a “burden.”

People evolve, and we openly invite more Mainers to join the majority of us who strongly defend a woman’s right to choose. But we also cannot ignore the receipts – Rick, as recently as two years ago, voted against abortion rights.

Abortion and Reproductive Health Care:

HERE ARE THE RECEIPTS

2022: Rick supported defunding Planned Parenthood.

2024: He voted against putting a referendum to a vote to enshrine abortion protections in Maine’s constitution.

In 2024, the year before Rick decided to run for governor and identify as an independent, he got 38% from Planned Parenthood.

Only in 2025, when he decided to run for statewide office as an Independent, did Rick suddenly earn a 92% score.

Cost of Living:

While working class families across Maine are working to keep up with rising costs, Rick Bennett’s record shows that he’s out of touch.

As a congressional candidate, Rick supported a federal amendment that would subject Social Security and Medicare to deep cuts.

This federal amendment threatened Americans’ health care, Social Security, and jobs, and was opposed by the AARP.

2022: He opposed an accountability proposal that would hold electric utilities responsible and possibly force them to be sold if they could not improve their service.

2024: He sided with landlords in voting against a budget that included $76 million for affordable and emergency housing programs.

HERE ARE THE RECEIPTS

Labor:

Maine AFL-CIO releases scorecards every year to grade how state legislators vote on key issues that impact Maine working families, labor, and unions. Here are the receipts on Rick’s scores:

Prior to 2025, in publicly available scorecards, Bennett averaged just 18% from the AFL-CIO, with a failing grade of 40% as recently as 2024.
In 2025, once he decided to run for governor, Rick got a 67% score from Maine AFL-CIO.

2024: Rick voted against labor protections for nurses in Maine
2023: He voted to weaken Maine’s child labor laws by allowing students to work 32 hours a week when school was in session

From 2021-2023, Rick repeatedly voted to advance “right to work” bills, including one that could punish workers who enforced mandatory union fees with jail time

HERE ARE THE RECEIPTS

Paid for by Maine Democratic Party.

Not Authorized by any candidate or candidate committee.

Rick Bennett Spent His Entire Life As a Republican

A timeline and breakdown of Rick Bennett’s public record.

Former Republican Rick:

Rick Bennett supported Donald Trump in 2016.

Rick Bennett and Donald Trump

Former Republican Rick:

Rick was leading the operation to advance and enact Paul LePage’s dangerous policy agenda. He served on LePage’s transition team and “oversaw” his reelection.

Rick Bennett and Paul Lepage

Rick and GOP:

Rick Bennett was the Executive Director of the Maine Republican Party from 1986 - 1988. He continued to build a long-career in state and national politics as a Republican:

Rick Bennett and the GOP: A Timeline

Rick Bennett was the Executive Director of the Maine Republican Party from 1986 - 1988. He continued to build a long-career in state and national politics as a Republican:

Issues

He is one of the countless Republicans who were staunchly opposed to the Affordable Care Act. Rick called the Affordable Care Act the “hallmark of government inefficiency and overreach” and characterized the program as a “burden.”

Labor: Maine AFL-CIO releases scorecards every year to grade how state legislators vote on key issues that impact Maine working families, labor, and unions. Here are the receipts on Rick’s scores:

In 2024, Rick got an underwhelming 40% score – a failing grade.

In 2025, once he decided to run for governor, Rick got a 67% score from Maine AFL-CIO.

HERE ARE THE RECEIPTS

Cost of Living: While working class families across Maine are working to keep up with rising costs, Rick Bennett’s record shows that he’s out of touch.

HERE ARE THE RECEIPTS

Abortion and Reproductive Health Care: People evolve, and we openly invite more Mainers to join the majority of us who strongly defend a woman’s right to choose. But we also cannot ignore the receipts – Rick, as recently as two years ago, voted against abortion rights.

HERE ARE THE RECEIPTS

Health Care: Access to affordable, quality health care has been one of the most significant policy debates in Maine over the past decade. Rick Bennett’s record includes opposition to major health coverage expansions and criticism of the Affordable Care Act.

HERE ARE THE RECEIPTS

Issues

Access to affordable, quality health care has been one of the most significant policy debates in Maine over the past decade. Rick Bennett’s record includes opposition to major health coverage expansions and criticism of the Affordable Care Act.

Health Care:

HERE ARE THE RECEIPTS

He is one of the countless Republicans who were staunchly opposed to the Affordable Care Act. Rick called the Affordable Care Act the “hallmark of government inefficiency and overreach” and characterized the program as a “burden.”

People evolve, and we openly invite more Mainers to join the majority of us who strongly defend a woman’s right to choose. But we also cannot ignore the receipts – Rick, as recently as two years ago, voted against abortion rights.

Abortion and Reproductive Health Care:

HERE ARE THE RECEIPTS

Cost of Living:

While working class families across Maine are working to keep up with rising costs, Rick Bennett’s record shows that he’s out of touch.

HERE ARE THE RECEIPTS

Labor:

Maine AFL-CIO releases scorecards every year to grade how state legislators vote on key issues that impact Maine working families, labor, and unions. Here are the receipts on Rick’s scores:

Prior to 2025, in publicly available scorecards, Bennett averaged just 18% from the AFL-CIO, with a failing grade of 40% as recently as 2024.

In 2025, once he decided to run for governor, Rick got a 67% score from Maine AFL-CIO.

HERE ARE THE RECEIPTS

Rick Bennett Spent His Entire Life
As a Republican

Rick Bennett was the Executive Director of the Maine Republican Party from
1986 - 1988. He continued to build a long-career in state and national politics as a Republican:

Rick Bennett was the Executive Director of the Maine Republican Party from
1986 - 1988. He continued to build a long-career in state and national politics as
a Republican:

Labor:

Maine AFL-CIO releases scorecards every year to grade how state legislators vote on key issues that impact Maine working families, labor, and unions. Here are the receipts on Rick’s scores:

Cost of Living:

While working class families across Maine are working to keep up with rising costs, Rick Bennett’s record shows that he’s out of touch.

Abortion and Reproductive Health Care:

People evolve, and we openly invite more Mainers to join the majority of us who strongly defend a woman’s right to choose. But we also cannot ignore the receipts – Rick, as recently as two years ago, voted against abortion rights.

Health Care:

Access to affordable, quality health care has been one of the most significant policy debates in Maine over the past decade. Rick Bennett’s record includes opposition to major health coverage expansions and criticism of the Affordable Care Act.