There are now 20 states standing in line to challenge the constitutionality of the nation’s new health care law.

Maine has nothing to gain by becoming the 21st.

Republican Gov.-elect Paul LePage made no secret of his disdain for the federal health care plan early on.

“I fear the federal program,” he told a group of insurance and financial advisers while on the campaign trail in March. LePage said he lived in Canada during the 1970s under that nation’s national health care system. “It’s rationed care. It scares me,” he told the group.

The practical question now, however, is whether Maine has anything to gain from mounting its own challenge.

Maine’s current attorney general, Democrat Janet Mills, made her own decision not to file suit. Mills said she had studied the relevant case law and decided there were no grounds for a challenge.

Newly elected Republicans clearly feel otherwise, and, as the new majority party, they are likely to elect a like-minded attorney general later today.

One candidate for that position, Bill Schneider, told Maine Public Radio he was eager to get going on a potential lawsuit against “Obamacare.”

Another Republican candidate, Doug Smith, says he is interested but would move more cautiously.

“First, I’m going to take a close look at all of the ramifications for doing that for Maine,” Smith told the Maine Public Broadcasting Network.

“My heart would say ‘do it,’ but as the attorney for the state, I would want to review the pleadings carefully, look at what resources it may or may not take, and then make a final judgment.”

Smith is right to ask what’s in it for Maine.

A host of states are challenging the constitutionality of the law, all focused on the provision that requires people who can afford to contribute toward their own health care costs to do so.

Many Republicans actually once favored this approach, but decided to oppose it when it became part of the Democratic health-care overhaul.

Some of the largest states in the U.S — including Florida, Texas and Virginia — are challenging this provision, and their cases are already moving through the courts.

These are states with far larger legal departments, that have been building their cases for months. Maine would be starting from scratch and with far more limited resources.

Most observers feel the issue finally will be decided by the U.S. Supreme Court.

At that point, the law will either be constitutional or it will not. The case will, we hope, be decided on its merits, not based upon how many states or senators file briefs in lower courts.

The decision will apply to all states equally, not just those that filed suit.

This issue will resolve itself, with or without Maine’s input.

Filing suit now would be pointless political theater and a waste of time and money.

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