Maine in February 2026: Senate race heats up, Legislature debates fraud, ICE and new laws

February brought a wave of political and legislative news across Maine, from the Senate and governor's races to statehouse fights over the budget, ICE enforcement and new laws. Central Maine Power's substations also came under attack, while state officials sparred over a Medicaid audit.

State politics and controversies

• Newly released SDNY documents accuse Gov. Janet Mills of covering up child abuse and of cocaine trafficking, The Maine Wire reported. (The Maine Wire)
• The US-Ireland Alliance removed George Mitchell's name from a scholarship, the Portland Press Herald reported. (The Portland Press Herald)
• The Maine State House removed a portrait of George Mitchell after his name appeared in the Epstein files, WGME reported. (WGME)
• Maine Republicans are pursuing impeachment of Bellows, according to The Center Square. (The Center Square)
• A district attorney requested that Eliot Cutler serve 39 months in prison for a probation violation, WGME reported. (WGME)
• Harriman won a high-stakes State House race in Lewiston, the Lewiston Sun Journal reported. (​​Lewiston Sun Journal​​ ​​​ ​​​)

The Senate race

• Sen. Susan Collins officially announced she will seek reelection in 2026, WGME reported. (WGME)
• Susan Collins secured $425 million for Maine ahead of a tough reelection campaign, the Portland Press Herald reported. (The Portland Press Herald)
• A fight over ICE enforcement has put Susan Collins on the defensive in the Maine Senate race, The Hill reported. (The Hill)
• Janet Mills said Susan Collins has 'seniority without backbone' in the Maine Senate race, WMTW reported. (WMTW)
• A poll found Graham Platner holding a double-digit lead over Mills and Collins in the Maine Senate race, The Hill reported. (The Hill)

The governor's race

• Dr. Nirav Shah submitted signatures to become the first Democrat on the Maine primary ballot, WGME reported. (WGME)
• Gubernatorial candidate Angus King III released an energy plan, newscentermaine.com reported. (newscentermaine.com)
• Gubernatorial candidate Dr. Nirav Shah unveiled a plan to protect Maine from the Trump administration's agenda, WGME reported. (WGME)
• Gubernatorial candidates Troy Jackson and Bobby Charles held a debate in Auburn, WGME reported. (WGME)
• Bellows said that if elected governor, she would push a bill requiring police to identify themselves, WGME reported. (WGME)

Legislature and new laws

• Maine's proposed supplemental budget would fund a rape kit tracking system, WGME reported. (WGME)
• Two Maine bills aimed at fighting domestic violence are awaiting funding, WGME reported. (WGME)
• Maine's new red flag law took effect, Maine Morning Star reported. (Maine Morning Star)
• Maine lawmakers unanimously repealed the two-year supervisory period for new nurse practitioners in favor of a mentorship model, The Maine Wire reported. (The Maine Wire)
• A bill would mandate crossing arms on all Maine school buses following the deaths of two children, WGME reported. (WGME)
• Maine could soon add speed cameras to I-95 construction zones, the Portland Press Herald reported. (The Portland Press Herald)
• Maine advanced a bill to ban sweepstakes casinos, actionnetwork.com reported. (actionnetwork.com)

State budget and the Medicaid dispute

• Gov. Janet Mills released her supplemental budget proposal, WABI reported. (WABI)
• WGME reported questions over whether Gov. Mills' proposed $300 relief checks are legal. (WGME)
• State leaders responded to an audit claiming Maine misspent $45 million in Medicaid funding, WGME reported. (WGME)
• Dr. Oz gave Maine a 30-day deadline to answer MaineCare oversight queries, newscentermaine.com reported. (newscentermaine.com)
• Maine GOP officials claimed widespread fraud in the Medicaid system while Gov. Mills denied the allegations, WGME reported. (WGME)
• Maine lawmakers backed a risk review of the DHHS integrity unit amid overpayment probes, WGME reported. (WGME)

Immigration and ICE

• Graham Platner praised Maine communities' response to a surge of ICE agents at a Yarmouth town hall, WGME reported. (WGME)
• Portland officials want an eviction moratorium because of ICE activity in Maine, WMTW reported. (WMTW)
• Thousands of Maine children missed school as ICE carried out heightened operations, with absence rates for multilingual students near or over 50% in some districts, Central Maine reported. (Central Maine)
• The U.S. DHS paid most of its outstanding bill to Cumberland County, but the loss of ICE detainees still leaves a budget gap, newscentermaine.com reported. (newscentermaine.com)
• Maine Democrats are pushing a $2 million legal war chest as ICE detentions fuel a due-process backlash, The Maine Wire reported. (The Maine Wire)

Energy and infrastructure

• Shots were fired at three CMP substations in Augusta, Windsor and Winslow, WGME reported. (WGME)
• A man was arrested after 'extensive' vandalism at CMP substations across central Maine caused widespread power outages, Central Maine reported. (Central Maine)
• CMP proposed a temporary rate decrease starting in July, WGME reported. (WGME)
• The Kennebec Water District is launching an $8.6 million project to filter PFAS, with upgrades expected to take about two years, Central Maine reported. (Central Maine)
• Maine lawmakers are considering a moratorium on new data centers, Maine Public reported. (Maine Public)

Around Maine

• Maine's first turtle tunnel is working, the Portland Press Herald reported. (The Portland Press Herald)
• Early ice made for good smelt fishing this season at about a half-dozen central Maine smelt camps after several rough years, Central Maine reported. (Central Maine)
• Maine's elver fishing license lottery closes Friday, WGME reported. (WGME)
• Maine marked 27 years since Bethel first set the world record for tallest snowman, WGME reported. (WGME)
• Portland Press Herald marked the 6th anniversary of its Ask Maine Audubon column with a report on squirrels. (The Portland Press Herald)
• A 'murder' of crows in Maine is delighting crow lovers, the Portland Press Herald reported. (The Portland Press Herald)

This roundup summarizes reporting by other outlets; follow the links for their full stories.