University of New England and 'Portland Press Herald' host gubernatorial debate

The University of New England and the Portland Press Herald hosted a debate among the four candidates for Maine governor on October 10, 2018.

Candidates Janet Mills (D), Shawn Moody (R), Alan Caron (I), and Terry Hayes (I) answered questions from Press Herald columnist Bill Nemitz and editorial page editor Greg Kesich. Business editor Carol Coultas served as the debate’s moderator as a crowd of more than 700 people watched, with hundreds more tuning in online. 

 The event, which was held on UNE’s Portland Campus in the newly renovated Innovation Hall, was the first gubernatorial debate to be hosted by the University. 

“It is part of UNE’s mission to welcome spirited political debate and the free exchange of ideas on our campus,” said UNE President James Herbert. “I am thrilled to provide a platform for these four candidates to discuss their plans for our state, and I am equally excited to partner with some of Maine’s finest journalists, asked them the questions Mainers will want answered as they head to the polls in November.”

“This debate will help voters learn how these candidates would approach the critical issues facing our state,” said Cliff Schechtman, executive editor of the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram.

The Press Herald is owned by MaineToday Media, which is part of the state’s largest media network that includes the Sun Media Group. Together they own the Kennebec Journal, Morning Sentinel, Sun Journal, Times Record, Journal Tribune, Forecaster and many other weekly newspapers.

Read more in the Portland Press Herald. Watch the story on WGME and WMTW.