AUGUSTA — Maine Gov. Paul LePage says his actions since taking office speak louder than words.

The Republican governor touted his accomplishments during his first term in his weekly message on Tuesday, including paying back the state’s hospitals for unpaid Medicaid services and reducing Maine’s pension debt.

The message came hours before LePage is set to officially launch his re-election bid at Buker Community Center in Augusta on Tuesday night.

The blunt-speaking governor says that political rhetoric can often hinder progress. But he says his administration will continue fighting to lower taxes, reform welfare and create jobs, which are “actions that will speak louder than words.”

LePage is being challenged by Democratic U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud and Independent candidate Eliot Culter, who lost a tight race to LePage in 2010.

The Book on Paul LePage

This is part of a nine-part story that develops a fuller picture of

and his motivations: 

• Headlines don’t tell the whole story of Paul LePage
• Chapter 1: Why LePage was elected
• Chapter 2: LePage tackles fiscal issues aggressively
• Chapter 3: Friendlier toward job creators than environmentalists
• Chapter 4: LePage targets the income tax rate
• Chapter 5: LePage stays firmly to the right of the issues
• Chapter 6: LePage wants cheaper energy for Maine
• Chapter 7: Drama overshadows LePage’s work on domestic violence and ethics
• Chapter 8: ‘He really doesn’t care if anyone likes him’

Copy the Story Link