Hannah Pingree

Hannah Pingree was born in Belfast, Maine, and grew up on the island of North Haven. Her father, a boat builder, served on the school board and volunteered as an EMT; her mother, Chellie Pingree, served in the state Legislature and later as a longtime U.S. Representative.⁠[1][2]

She earned a political science degree from Brown UniversityBrown UniversityBrown University is a private nonprofit research university in Providence, Rhode Island, and a member of the Ivy League. Chartered by Rhode Island's colonial legislature in 1764, it is known for its undergraduate Open Curriculum, which has no common required core. Christina H. Paxson, president since July 2012, announced on August 3, 2026, that the 2026–27 academic year would be her last in office. As of October 1, 2026, the search for Brown's 20th president remained underway.Open the full entry.⁠[3]

Pingree was elected to the Maine House of Representatives in 2002 and served more than eight years in the Legislature, including as House Majority Leader, chair of the Health and Human Services Committee and a member of the Appropriations Committee.⁠[1][3]

From 2008 to 2010 she was Speaker of the Maine House, at the time the youngest woman in the country to hold the post and the second woman in Maine history to do so. She lists broadband expansion, clean energy, health care costs and the Kid-Safe Products Act among her legislative work.⁠[3][2][1]

After leaving the Legislature she managed family businesses, including a farm, a restaurant and an inn; led local education and housing campaigns; managed rural housing, energy-efficiency and eldercare projects for a nonprofit coalition; and chaired the MSAD #7 school board.⁠[3][1]

On January 17, 2019, Governor Janet Mills named Pingree director of the Office of Policy Management, charged chiefly with drafting a framework to convert it into an Office of Innovation and the Future, and with advancing the governor’s priorities on climate and energy, early childhood education, workforce development, broadband, rural economic development, health policy and opioid policy. She said: “I am honored to lead the Governor Mills’ efforts to restore forward-looking strategic planning to state government.”⁠[3]

She went on to lead the Governor’s Office of Policy Innovation and the Future and the Children’s Cabinet and Cabinet on Aging, serving for six years as a chief adviser to Mills until 2025.⁠[1][2][4]

In Maine’s Democratic primary for governor on June 9, 2026, Pingree trailed former CDC director Nirav Shah by about 3 percentage points in the initial count. In a three-round ranked-choice tabulation completed early on June 19 she picked up many second- and third-choice votes from eliminated rivals, including Troy Jackson and Shenna Bellows, and defeated Shah for the nomination; Angus King III was also among the eliminated candidates. Mills and Graham Platner endorsed her, and Shah pledged his support afterward.⁠[4]

In her statement after winning the nomination she said: “This campaign is about housing that allows young people to stay in Maine.”⁠[4]

In the three-way election for governor on November 3, Pingree faced Republican Bobby Charles and independent Rick Bennett. The Associated Press called the race for her just after 11:30 p.m. on Election Night; early the next morning, with more than three-quarters of precincts reporting, she led Charles 54.8% to 37.2%, with Bennett at 8%. Charles conceded that night.⁠[2]

Pingree, 50, spoke to supporters in Portland and said to voters who had backed her opponents: “I hear you, I respect you, and I will work just as hard for you.”⁠[2]

Hannah Pingree for Governor: Official website: https://hannahforgovernor.com/ (opens in a new window).⁠[1]

X: Public account: https://x.com/pingreehannah (opens in a new window).⁠[1]

YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is Google’s video-sharing and creator platform, founded in 2005 by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim and acquired by Google in 2006. Built around video uploading, viewing, and creator earnings, the platform has developed Shorts, YouTube Music, Premium, YouTube TV, and products for children, and is headquartered in San Bruno, California, United States.Open the full entry: Public channel: https://www.youtube.com/@HannahPingreeforGovernor (opens in a new window).⁠[1]