For months Gov. Paul LePage had been hinting at potentially jumping into the Republican primary to challenge Sen. Angus King. | AP Photo Maine Gov. LePage won't run for Senate

Maine Gov. Paul LePage won't run for Senate, one of his top political advisers said in a statement on Wednesday.

The statement from LePage's senior political adviser, Brent Littlefield, came hours after LePage met privately with Maine state Sen. Eric Brakey, according to Republicans with knowledge of the conversation.


During the 40-minute meeting, LePage told Brakey, who is running in the Republican primary for the U.S. Senate, that he would not run for Senate.

"Governor Paul LePage has helped the state of Maine achieve the largest number of private sector jobs in history, implement the largest tax cut in state history, ... and implement reforms which have resulted in Maine showing a significant revenue surplus earlier this year and, while these accomplishments are great, there is more to do," Littlefield said in a statement. "Therefore the Governor will remain focused on the job at hand and not enter the United States Senate race in 2018."

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For months LePage had been hinting at potentially jumping into the Republican primary to challenge Sen. Angus King, the independent senator who caucuses with Democrats.

"As [LePage] contemplates and decides his next move after his term ends, we look forward to having his support as we work side by side to end the reign of Angus King and restore liberty for little guy [sic] not just in Maine, but down in Washington, D.C.," the Brakey campaign said in a statement.