Breaking Free From Party Politics with Ken Block and Rick Bennett
RICK BENNETT: AN INDEPENDENT CAMPAIGN FOR MAINE GOVERNOR The episode then turns to Rick Bennett, a Forward-endorsed independent candidate for governor of Maine and former President of the Maine Senate. Bennett brings 18 years of experience in the Maine Legislature, along with experience in the private sector, and explains why he decided to leave the Republican Party and run as an independent. For Bennett, the decision is rooted in a belief that party politics have become an obstacle to solving practical problems. He describes Maine as a state with a strong tradition of independence, where voters have repeatedly shown a willingness to choose candidates based on the individual rather than the party label. Bennett says that experience has made his transition to independent politics feel less like a departure from his values and more like a return to the approach he has always taken. Bennett also shares what he is hearing from voters across Maine. Housing affordability, childcare, workforce shortages, energy costs, and education are among the issues he says matter most in everyday life. He argues that these concerns often receive less attention than national political fights, even though they directly affect whether families can afford to live, work, and build their lives in their communities. KEY TOPICS WITH RICK BENNETT:
Why Rick Bennett chose to run for Maine governor as an independent
Maine's history of electing independent governors
Housing affordability and the cost of living
Childcare and workforce shortages
Energy costs and education
Ranked choice voting in Maine
The 2026 Maine gubernatorial election
Bennett's campaign message: "Let's get to wo
