Maine newspaper welcomes Trump to state with call to resign

When Donald Trump arrives in Maine on Friday to tour a plant making coronavirus testing supplies, he will be greeted by a call from the state’s largest newspaper to resign.

“President Trump: We’re sorry that you decided to come to Maine, but since you are here, could you do us a favor? Resign,” the Editorial Board of the Portland Press Herald wrote, adding that Trump lacks “the character, maturity and judgment to lead our country in this perilous time.”

Trump is headed to Maine, despite the fact that Gov. Janet Mills raised concerns about Trump’s visit amid the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as racial justice protests across the country following the death of George Floyd, a black man who was killed after a police officer kneeled on his neck for more than eight minutes as he begged for air.

“I’m very concerned that your presence may cause security problems for our state,” Mills, a Democrat, told Trump during a Monday conference call with governors across the country, in which Trump called governors “weak” and demanded they crack down on protesters demanding racial justice.

“We don’t have them yet, so I’m concerned about that,” Mills said.

She also warned him in a statement on Thursday to “check his inflammatory rhetoric at the door and abandon the divisive language that sows seeds of distrust among our people,” referring to threats Trump has issued to protesters.

“I hope he will heed this call and appeal to the best in all people and lead us with courage and compassion through this difficult time,” Mills said,

Trump said on the call that Mills’ comments actually pushed him to want o visit more.

“She tried to talk me out of it,” Trump said, according to the Portland Press Herald. “Now I think she probably talked me into it. She just doesn’t understand me very well. But that’s OK.”

Trump’s visit to Maine comes as his standing in polls has diminished.

He’s hoping to keep the one Electoral College vote he won from the state in 2016 in his column in 2020. Maine does not have a winner-take-all Electoral College system like the vast majority of states, and instead gives two votes to the popular vote winner, and one to the popular vote winner in each of its two House districts.

However, his visit could also cause trouble for Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), who is running for reelection in 2020.

Trump is unpopular in the state, with just a 42% approval rating, according to a PPP survey from March. And PPP found Collins’ approval plummeted after she voted to acquit Trump in the impeachment trial.

Collins is not joining Trump on his visit to her state.

Published with permission of The American Independent.