Eight gubernatorial candidates and more than 150 people attended the Wabanaki Alliance 2026 Gubernatorial Forum March 19 at the Houlton Community Resource Center. Hosted by the Houlton Band of Malisset Indians, the forum included eight candidates who responded to questions from moderators and forum attendees about nonpartisan issues and policy affecting the Wabanaki Nations.
Candidates received questions from Maulian Bryant, citizen of the Penobscot Nation and executive director of the Wabanaki Alliance; Malleah Brown, a citizen of the Passamaquoddy Tribe at Motahkomikuk and youth lead with the Wabanaki Youth Policy Initiative; and Osihkiyol Crofton-Macdonald, Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians Ambassador and president of the Wabanaki Alliance Board. Clarissa Sabattis, Tribal Chief of the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, made opening and closing remarks.
Participating candidates included (in alphabetical order)
- Shenna Bellows (D)
- Rick Bennett (I)
- John Glowa (I)
- Troy Jackson (D)
- Derek Levasseur (I)
- Hannah Pingree (D)
- Nirav Shah (D)
- Angus King III (D)
The Wabanaki Alliance will also host forums for candidates for the U.S. Senate and U.S. House, with dates to be announced soon.
The primary election for Democratic and Republican candidates is Tuesday, June 9. The general election is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Find more information about Maine elections on the Secretary of State website.
Watch the gubernatorial forum below and find links to news coverage of the event.
Related News Coverage
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- Spectrum News: Candidates for governor agree on key issues at Wabanaki Alliance forum
- Portland Press Herald: 4 takeaways from the Wabanaki-hosted gubernatorial debate
- Bangor Daily News: Gubernatorial candidates at Wabanaki forum agree on tribal sovereignty
- Maine Public: Maine gubernatorial candidates mostly back tribal sovereignty in Wabanaki-hosted forum
