Bobby Charles Removes Website Containing False Claims About Opponent

Maine Republican gubernatorial candidate Bobby Charles has come under fire for briefly publishing a website containing false information about his primary rival, Garrett Mason. The site, titled “The Real Garrett Mason,” was taken down Monday after Republican party members flagged numerous inaccuracies in Mason’s biographical information.

The controversial website erroneously claimed that Mason had served as Senate president since 2018, a position he never held during a period when Democrats maintained firm control of Maine’s legislature. It also incorrectly stated that Mason began his legislative career as a House member in 2002, when in fact he never served in the House and would have been only 17 years old at the time.

Political observers noted that much of the false biographical information appeared to have been lifted from the profile of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Troy Jackson, the current Senate President who did begin his legislative service in 2002 and assumed the Senate presidency in 2018. The mixup has raised questions about the Charles campaign’s vetting processes, particularly as the campaign is known to regularly employ artificial intelligence to generate campaign materials and advertisements.

Mason, a lobbyist and former Maine Senate majority leader, served as a state senator from 2010 to 2018 and held the majority leader position during the final four years of Republican Paul LePage’s gubernatorial term. His actual record and biography bear little resemblance to what was presented on Charles’ attack website.

When questioned about the site’s removal, Charles campaign strategist Vincent Harris did not directly address why it was taken down but suggested any confusion was due to perceived similarities between Mason and Jackson’s records.

“If there was a mixup it was likely because in many ways, [Mason and Jackson] have a similar record,” Harris stated in an email response. He pivoted to campaign messaging by adding, “Maine is broken, and these corrupt politicians like Garrett Mason and Troy Jackson put us in this place. Bobby Charles is a veteran, an outsider, and he’s running to reform the broken system that is Augusta.”

The incident highlights ongoing tensions within the Republican primary field. Mason has become a particular target for his rivals after receiving substantial financial backing from Republican megadonors Richard Uihlein and Thomas Klingenstein. These donors are financing a political group that has already committed $1.7 million to pro-Mason advertising, a fact that fellow candidate David Jones criticized during a recent debate.

The website controversy has prompted criticism from within Republican ranks. Lauren LePage, a strategist for candidate Ben Midgley and daughter of former Governor Paul LePage, dismissed the Charles campaign’s actions as “amateur hour” in a social media post, warning that such mistakes could jeopardize Republican chances in November’s general election.

The incident comes at a crucial moment in Maine’s Republican gubernatorial primary, with candidates jockeying for position ahead of the nomination. Charles, who positions himself as an outsider candidate and military veteran, has been described as the frontrunner in the race, though Mason’s substantial financial backing has shifted dynamics in the competitive field.

Political analysts suggest this episode may reflect the increasing pressures and stakes in a primary where candidates are not only competing for votes but also attempting to distinguish themselves as the strongest possible challenger to Democratic control in Augusta, particularly as current Democratic Governor Janet Mills nears the end of her term.