Former Maine Gov. Paul LePage registered Thursday as a candidate for governor in the state once again.
LePage, a Republican governor from 2011 to 2019, has long hinted that he might challenge Democratic Gov. Janet Mills in 2022. LePage and Mills were frequent rivals when LePage was governor and Mills was the state’s attorney general.
The Maine Ethics Commission website stated on Thursday that LePage is an active candidate based in the Lincoln County town of Edgecomb. The site stated that LePage registered on Thursday and is seeking the office of governor.
"We did receive an electronic registration from Paul LePage today, he's registered as a candidate for governor in next year's elections," Jonathan Wayne, executive director of the ethics commission, said in an email to NECN.
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LePage has also launched a website that includes a countdown clock to an announcement of some kind. The website allows visitors to sign up for campaign updates.
Asked for a statement about a potential LePage 2022 run, a LePage spokesman referred NECN and NBC10 Boston to the countdown clock.
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LePage was termed out of office in 2019, but under Maine law, a former governor can serve again as long as they never serve more than two consecutive terms.
He was a controversial figure as a governor. LePage’s eight years in office included frequent sparring with the media, Democrats and liberal interest groups.
During a Thursday afternoon appearance to sign a two-year budget into law, current Gov. Janet Mills declined to speak to NECN and NBC10 Boston.
E-mails to the Maine Democratic Party and Maine GOP about a LePage run did not receive immediate responses either.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
