¶ Overview
In 2025, Bobby Charles supported Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill,” which made the largest cut to SNAP in history. Charles also declared he was “totally on side” with Trump’s agenda and backed work requirements that would restrict Mainers’ ability to receive public assistance. More than 77,400 households in Maine relied on SNAP to meet basic food needs.
¶ Bobby Charles Supported Stripping SNAP Benefits From Mainers And Making Food More Expensive
¶ Charles Supported Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill,” Which Cut Snap Benefits For Millions
¶ Charles Endorsed Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” And Framed Trump’s Agenda As Maine’s Agenda
October 2025: Charles Endorsed Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” And Framed Trump’s Agenda As Maine’s Agenda. According to Charles’ Facebook, “Congratulations to President Donald J. Trump on passing the Big, Beautiful Bill, a landmark win for the American people. This is what real leadership looks like: bold, unapologetic, and laser-focused on restoring strength, order, and prosperity. For too long, Washington gave us chaos. President Trump delivers results. This bill protects our borders, defends law enforcement, reins in reckless spending, and puts America First — where it belongs. Promises made, promises kept. �The comeback begins now.”
[Facebook, Bobby Charles, 7/3/25]
October 2025: Charles Pledged Immediate Action To Implement Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” If Elected Governor. According to Charles’s Facebook, “Thanks to Janet Mills, you might not see President Trump’s tax cuts on overtime and tips until next year. Augusta Democrats always find a way to stall when it’s time to give back. As Governor, I’ll act quickly to deliver immediate tax relief to Maine families.”
[Facebook, Bobby Charles, 10/13/25]
¶ The “One Big Beautiful Bill” Contained The Largest SNAP Cut In History
HEADLINE: "Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ Cuts Food Stamps For Millions — The Average Family May Lose $146 Per Month, Report Finds" [CNBC, 7/10/25]
The GOP Reconciliation Bill Would Cut SNAP Funding By $186 Billion, Which CBPP Said Constituted The “Largest Cut To SNAP In History.” According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, “The Senate Republican leadership’s reconciliation bill would dramatically raise costs and reduce food assistance for millions of people by cutting federal funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by $186 billion through 2034, according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), about 20 percent — the largest cut to SNAP in history. These cuts would increase poverty, food insecurity, and hunger, including among children. The so-called ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ is anything but beautiful; it would cause widespread harm by making massive cuts to Medicaid and SNAP, which would raise costs on families and make it much harder for them to afford the high cost of health care and groceries.” [Center On Budget And Policy Priorities, 6/30/25]
22.3 Million Families Would Lose Some Or All Of Their SNAP Benefits, With 5.3 Million Families Losing More Than $25 In Benefits Per Month, And Of Those Families, The Average Loss In Benefits Would Be $146. According to the Urban Institute, “Our preliminary estimates of the SNAP policies in the Senate bill show the following: 22.3 million US families would be affected, losing some or all of their SNAP benefits. Of the total affected families, 5.3 million would lose at least $25 in SNAP benefits per month. Among these families, 3.3 million are families with children, 3.5 million are working families, and 1.7 million are families with a full-time full-year worker. Families losing at least $25 per month would lose $146 per month on average ($1,752 for a full-year recipient). At the state level, average monthly benefit losses for families losing at least $25 per month would range from $72 in Kansas ($864 annually) to $231 in the District of Columbia ($2,772 annually).” [Urban Institute, 7/2/25]
States That Could Not Afford To Pay The New Mandated SNAP Cost Shares May Cut The Program Entirely. According to CNBC, “Additionally, the legislation requires states to pay for a portion of benefit costs, ranging from 5% to 15%, if their payment error rate is at or over 6%. The error rates measure the accuracy of states’ eligibility and benefit payments. In fiscal year 2024, states had a 10.9% average payment error rate, with many states over 6%, according to the Department of Agriculture. States that can’t pay those shares may have to cut SNAP benefits or opt out of the program entirely, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.” [CNBC, 7/10/25]
¶ Bobby Charles Supported Work Requirements That Would Restrict Access To Public Assistance
October 2025: Charles Declared He Was “Totally On Side” With Trump’s Agenda And Backed Workf Requirements To Receive Public Assistance. According to Bobby Charles at the 2025 Maine GOP Gubernatorial Candidate Forum, “CHARLES: So I love President Trump. I've been in his White House six times. I've written 500 articles for him. He's tweeted a bunch of them out. I am totally on side with what he's doing without apology. Six things we could immediately, immediately work with him on. Let's enforce Title Nine. How about that? Then let’s get those high intensity drug trafficking dollars up here and the substance abuse dollars up here. Then let's use his workfare policy so you don't get benefits if you're able bodied unless you work or volunteer or go to school. Then we end the wind and solar. We don't keep pushing that. Of course, we work for the nuclear. And then, we close the northern border. And we push more Navy contracts to be IW.” [Bobby Charles, Maine GOP Gubernatorial Candidate Forum, 10/18/25] (VIDEO)
¶ More Than 77,400 Households In Maine Relied On SNAP
2023: Across Maine, 77,416 Households Relied On SNAP.
[U.S. Department of Agriculture, SNAP Community Characteristics, Accessed 1/15/26]