Tipsheet

Laurel Libby Launches Lead Maine, Starting With Battle to Reelect Sen. Collins

Amy Curtis
Amy Curtis  |  November 19, 2025 2:15 PM

Maine State Rep. Laurel Libby made headlines earlier this year after Democrats in the state legislature censured and stripped her of voting rights for objecting to trans athletes in girls' sports. It was only months later, following a Supreme Court ruling, that her right to represent her constituents was restored.

This week, Libby announced she will not seek reelection to that seat, but instead focus on Lead Maine, a new PAC that is working with the Sentinel Action Fund to reelect Republican Senator Susan Collins and bring about conservative change in the Pine Tree State.

"I will not be seeking re-election to the state legislature. Instead, today I’m announcing Lead Maine, a network of organizations to educate and mobilize grassroots Mainers and build a stronger, more conservative Maine!" Libby wrote.

Libby's thread continues:

Libby said Maine is facing "historic challenges" inflicted on the state by Democrats.

Townhall spoke with Libby today about Lead Maine and her vision for the future of politics both in her state and across the country.

Libby emphasized that she wants Lead Maine to be the driving force behind real change in her state, and that she feels like this organization will be more impactful than her vote in the legislature. "I’m serving my 3rd term under a Democratic majority. I’ve passed zero good legislation and stopped zero bad legislation. I vote on bills, and it doesn’t change anything. We have an extreme Democratic majority that’s pushing policies that are actively hurting our state," she said.

"Lead Maine is on a mission to educate and mobilize voters in order to advance a conservative Maine where individuals, families, and businesses flourish," she added.

The focus of Lead Maine will be the education and empowerment of Maine voters, getting them involved in the political process and building a conservative movement in the state. "Our government is impacting our state in so many ways that Mainers don’t understand," Libby said. 

"I hope to educate and empower, and engage Mainers to be that change that they want to see in our state," she continued, adding that she wants voters to "See that there’s hope for change and that they can be part of that change."

When asked about why Lead Maine was starting with a focus on reelecting Senator Collins, Libby stressed the importance of Republicans keeping the Senate after the midterms. "I understand how critical it is at the federal level to maintain the Senate majority. Collins’ seat is pivotal to that," she said.

She pointed to Governor Janet Mills, who announced her bid for Collins' Senate seat last month, as one reason Maine is struggling as a state. "We've seen her in action," Libby said. "Maine can’t afford to send Janet Mills to the Senate."

As to Mills' Democratic primary opponent Graham Platner, Libby said he's "promising all kinds of amazing things," including taxpayer-funded single-payer socialized medicine. Libby said she's looked at such schemes in other nations and, "I see incredibly poor healthcare, poor outcomes. That would be a huge cost to our country and to the people in it."

"It's critical we see Susan Collins back in that seat," Libby said.

The Sentinel Action Fund endorsed Collins, writing in a press release:

Sentinel Action Fund and Maine grassroots leader Laurel Libby announced a partnership through the Lead Maine Committee, a new Maine political action committee dedicated to turning out conservative voters. This partnership will invest over $4 million to support Senator Susan Collins’s (R-ME) re-election in 2026. This also marks Sentinel Action Fund’s first endorsement for the 2026 midterm election cycle.

And Sentinel Action Fund President Jessica Anderson also spoke of the importance of Collins winning reelection. "Maine deserves to have common-sense representation in Congress, and with a strong candidate, effective ground game operation, and an energized grassroots network, we can build and turnout the coalition of voters needed to win," Anderson wrote in a statement. "Sentinel Action Fund is pleased to announce our endorsement of Senator Susan Collins, and with it this  important partnership with Laurel Libby and the Lead Maine Committee which will support Senator Collins’s re-election. Laurel’s grassroots experience and leadership in the state will make her an invaluable partner to our efforts to turn out voters early and on Election Day."

Anderson also praised Senator Collins, adding, "Senator Susan Collins is a proven leader and a steadfast champion of the freedoms and policies that matter most to Mainers, especially as those values face growing threats from the far Left. We look forward to ensuring she returns to the Senate for another term."

The goals and purpose of Lead Maine expand far beyond next year's midterms.

"Lead Maine is a multi-year effort," Libby said. "Maine has been driven down an extreme path for years now, without any barrier, as the Democrats push their agenda."

"So it's going to take time to reverse that, to reverse course," Libby added. The mission of Lead Maine, Libby said, is to "educate everyday Mainers on the issues that affect all of us" and "mobilize citizens to achieve long-term societal and electoral change." And her vision is to "advance a conservative Maine where individuals, families, and businesses flourish."

Townhall also asked Libby what success for Lead Maine looks like down the road. "I think success to me looks like Mainers starting to wake up and understand the incredible impact and power that they have to impact their government," she said.