I wonder if people saw the ad by the Republican Governor’s Association, suggesting Paul LePage understands economic hardship. In it, we hear how LePage survived a heartbreaking childhood; he was homeless, he understands.

But if LePage understood the pain of poverty, why did so many Maine children and families suffer from food insecurity during his two terms?

The Maine Governor’s Office of Policy and Management revealed that after LePage left office, childhood poverty in Maine increased. The most vulnerable Mainers faced harsh cuts to health care, food assistance and emergency cash assistance.

Gov. Janet Mills has advanced the goal of statewide food security for all Maine children. She has proposed continued funding for free school lunch and breakfast programs for every child attending Maine public schools.

For Mainers, the choice for governor is as clear as Moosehead Lake. We must vote for Mills in November. Let’s keep moving Maine forward.

Marianne O’Connor, Lisbon Falls