Maine's first female attorney general is running to become the state's first female governor.
Janet Mills announced Monday that she would run in the 2018 gubernatorial election, affiliate WCSH reports.
Mills, a native of Farmington currently serving her second term as attorney general, has recently sparred with Maine's current governor. Paul LePage sued her over an "abuse of power," claiming she refused to represent his administration in court cases involving President Donald Trump's executive orders on immigration.
"It is no secret that Attorney General Mills and I have differing political views, but that is not the issue," LePage said in May. "The problem is she has publicly denounced court cases which the Executive Branch has requested to join and subsequently refuses to provide legal representation to the State. This clear abuse of power prevents the chief executive from carrying out duties that, in his good faith judgment, are in the best interest of the people of Maine."
"Her ideology just clouds her ability to be a good lawyer," LePage added the following day.
"I'm not obliged to carry out his political wishes, or his political agenda," Mills retorted. "This is a key part of the checks and balances that the Maine Constitution envisions."
Prior to becoming attorney general, Mills served in the Maine House of Representatives.
