Emily Cain
Emily Cain
Maine Democratic Senate nominee on Jul 31, 2026?
$4.2M
JUL 31, 2026
Primary Election
Party selects its nominee.
Overview
Current roleFormer State Senator
Political ideologyProgressive Democrat
Age46 years old (Mar 29, 1980)
GenderFemale
LocationMaine
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BackgroundExecutive Director, EMILY's List
EducationUniversity of Maine (Bachelor of Music Education)
Notable personal detailsEmily Ann Cain is an American Democratic politician from Maine and a political executive. She served in the Maine House of Representatives (2005–2012), including as Minority Leader, and in the Maine Senate (2012–2014). Cain was the Democratic nominee for U.S. House in Maine’s 2nd Congressional District in 2014 and 2016. She later became executive director of EMILY’s List, a national organization supporting pro-choice Democratic women candidates.
SourcesShowHide
Positions
Economy & Taxes
Emily Cain emphasized raising the minimum wage, making college more affordable, and growing businesses. Her public economic messaging also focused on state investment in infrastructure, universities, and energy efficiency to strengthen Maine’s economy.
Healthcare
Emily Cain supported expanding Medicaid in Maine and framed the issue as part of broader access to health care. Her record points to support for public coverage expansions rather than market-based rollback of government health programs.
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Immigration & Border
Supported comprehensive immigration reform with a path to citizenship, updated family and worker immigration, and improved border security. The position emphasized due process, civil and human rights, and border enforcement focused on criminals and drug cartels rather than broad restriction.
Abortion & Reproductive Rights
Emily Cain has publicly supported reproductive freedom and abortion access, saying health care decisions should be between a woman and her doctor rather than legislators. Her remarks oppose efforts to threaten reproductive privacy in Maine.
Climate & Energy
Emily Cain has publicly supported renewable energy, energy efficiency, and a transition toward alternative energy sources. She has also said natural gas expansion should be treated as a transition to wind, tidal, and solar power rather than an end state.
Public Safety & Guns
Emily Cain supported mandatory background checks on private gun purchases and said expanding background checks was the right thing to do to reduce gun violence. She also opposed permitless concealed carry, arguing it was bad for public safety and dangerous for children, domestic disputes, the general public, and law enforcement.
News
Emily Cain is in the news because Maine Democrats are scrambling to pick a new Senate nominee after Graham Platner withdrew from the race. Party delegates are set to choose a replacement at a July 25 convention in Bangor, after a series of debates and delegate-selection meetings among several Democratic contenders. The race remains competitive, but recent reporting says Republican Sen. Susan Collins has been leading in polling.
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New updates coming soon
We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.
- Polls
- Endorsements
- Fundraising