No longer on the campaign trail, Gov. Mills is having fun at Maine theaters

 Gov. Janet Mills visits with the cast of the musical "1776" at the Maine State Music Theatre in Brunswick Wednesday. (Photo by Jared Morneau Photograph, courtesy Maine State Music Theatre) Last week, Gov. Janet Mills joined a Beatles tribute band on stage at the Strand Theatre in Rockland, belting out the rousing chorus to “All You Need is Love.” This week, she attended a musical at the Maine State Music Theatre, where she dressed in Revolutionary War-era attire for a post-performance meet-and-greet with the cast. Both appearances come after Mills, a two-term Democratic governor, unceremoniously [suspended her U.S. Senate campaign in April](https://www.pressherald.com/2026/04/30/janet-mills-suspends-senate-candidacy-2/) while trailing political newcomer Graham Platner in polling and fundraising in the Democratic primary. The governor, who is entering her final six months in office, has been in the public eye far less since exiting the race, though her recent activities indicate she’s taking the turn of events in the Senate race in stride, and perhaps even relaxing a bit. Spokespeople for Mills did not respond Thursday to a request for an interview. On June 26, Mills appeared on stage with the band The Walrus during a fundraiser for the Strand. Advertisement “Surprise cameo from Gov. Janet Mills at last night’s sold out fundraiser for Rockland Strand,” the band posted, along with a video of Mills, on Facebook the next day. “Life is weird and wonderful!” they wrote. Mills appeared to be enjoying herself, standing center stage, surrounded by the band and waving her arms to encourage the crowd to join in singing along. On Wednesday, Mills visited the Maine State Music Theatre in Brunswick for a showing of the musical “1776,” about the drafting of the Declaration of Independence. After the show, the theater’s wardrobe department outfitted Mills in a bright blue Revolutionary War-era coat and she posed for photos with the cast. Related [In stunning move, Janet Mills suspends Senate candidacy](https://www.pressherald.com/2026/04/30/janet-mills-suspends-senate-candidacy-2/) “She was incredibly generous with her time, warmly greeting our cast, musicians, crew, and staff after the performance,” said Curt Dale Clark, the theater’s artistic director, in a written statement Thursday. “It was clear she genuinely enjoyed the show, and having the opportunity to share this remarkable production with Maine’s governor made for a very special evening.” Advertisement Mills became the first woman to serve as Maine governor when she was elected in 2018. Whether she would challenge U.S. Sen. Susan Collins was the subject of widespread speculation for months prior to the governor’s [decision in October to get in the Senate race](https://www.pressherald.com/2025/10/14/gov-janet-mills-enters-u-s-senate-race-to-fight-the-good-fight/). On the campaign trail, Mills touted her proven ability to win statewide office, but she consistently lagged Platner, a military veteran and oysterman, in polling and fundraising. A centrist who has shifted left recently on certain issues, like immigration enforcement and taxing the wealthy, Mills’ campaign lacked the energy and enthusiasm behind Platner. Age was also a factor, with the 78-year-old governor facing questions about whether Democrats could be better served by a younger candidate, such as the 41-year-old Platner. Though she suspended her campaign, Mills remained on the June 9 primary ballot, securing 19% of the vote to Platner’s 72% in a race that also featured a third candidate and a write-in. Copy the Story Link Tagged: [Gov. Janet Mills](https://www.pressherald.com/tag/gov-janet-mills/), [Janet Mills](https://www.pressherald.com/tag/janet-mills/) [](https://www.pressherald.com/author/rachel-ohm) [Rachel OhmStaff Writer](https://www.pressherald.com/author/rachel-ohm) Rachel covers state government and politics for the Portland Press Herald. It’s her third beat at the paper after stints covering City Hall and education. Prior to her arrival at the Press Herald in. [More by Rachel Ohm](https://www.pressherald.com/author/rachel-ohm)