I am grateful for many things, today, and the first of them is my wife and companion, Kristina Egan, who is an inspiration to me every day.

I’m also grateful for all the people who have stopped us in recent days to tell us how much they have been impressed by the recent debates and urged us to continue. I will not forget you.

As anyone who knows my story will understand, I do not quit easily.

• I’ve lifted myself from poverty to prosperity, as a small businessman.

• I’m a high school dropout who found my way to a Masters Degree at Harvard.

• I’m someone who worked with my hands, as a carpenter and mill worker, and ended up writing books about Maine’s future.

Today, I am ending a chapter in my life, and I’ll dust myself off and go back into the fight to make Maine a better place. There are other chapters for me that are still to be written.

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A year ago I announced a campaign for Governor, as an independent. I made this run to win, but also to continue the work of my life, which has been to promote ideas that can help Maine lift itself up.

I have done my best, in this last year, to elevate the conversation in this race. Rather than engage in personal attacks or speak only in sound bites, I have shared my ideas and hopes for Maine, and tried to keep our conversation civil and respectful.

Before I make my announcement today, I want to pause to make this plea to the next Governor and Legislature. Fix our broken election system.

The people of Maine, by voting for Ranked Choice Voting, showed that they know that we have a problem - and they want you to fix it.

Our elections for Governor were designed to accommodate just two party candidates, even though Maine has seen more than two candidates on every gubernatorial ballot since 1974.

We are locked in an election system that is depriving Maine of new energy and new ideas at exactly the moment when we need more of both.

Until we fix this problem, we’re going to continue to
• elect governors with less than majority support.

• vote based on our fears rather than our hopes,• vote against candidates rather than for them.

The next Governor and the incoming legislature must fix the ‘spoiler’ problem once and for all.

They can do that by putting a constitutional amendment before the people of Maine, so that Ranked Choice Voting can apply to all elections.

This is the most urgent priority facing Augusta today.

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Back in March, I pledged to withdraw from this race if it was clear to me that I could not win.

Today, I am fulfilling that pledge. I am officially withdrawing from this race for Governor.

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I have one other announcement to make.

I have had the privilege, in this campaign, of spending a lot of time with the other three candidates in this race, all of whom I like and admire.

As I’ve said many times in public debates and forums, all of these candidates are good people.

But not all of them would be good governors.

Of the three candidates remaining in this race, only one has the experience, the intelligence and the toughness to do this job. Only one is ready, on day one, to tackle the challenges we face and move Maine forward.

After working with all of the candidates over many months, and hearing all of their ideas and answers, I can tell you that Janet Mills is best suited to be Maine’s next governor.

Today, I am delighted to join forces with - and endorse - Janet Mills as our next Governor.

I will do everything I can between now and election day to help her win.

Janet and I have known each other for many years, and we’ve worked together on many issues affecting Maine people.

I know her as someone who cares deeply about Maine people and has worked tirelessly to make Maine a better state.

We cannot stay on the path we’ve been on, as a state.

We cannot afford eight more years of lost opportunities, gridlock and division.

We need leadership with vision
... and a real plan to bring people together, ... grow our economy,
... lower the cost of health care, and
... improve our education system.

Janet Mills is that leader.