¶ How To Win Against Jonathan Bush
Jonathan Bush aligned closely with Donald Trump’s governing agenda, repeatedly praising Trump’s health care policies, his governance, and his economic approach. At the same time, Bush proposed policies that threatened health coverage, Medicare, and Social Security. He backed Medicaid block grants, attacked the Affordable Care Act, and criticized public health coverage as “wealth redistribution.” Bush opposed expanding MaineCare, dismissed it as “not a safety net” but a “Barcalounger,” and claimed Democratic health care plans would leave people “controlled." Bush praised Trump’s governance as Trump’s DOGE fired federal workers and millions of dollars in federal funding were cut from Maine nonprofits. Bush stood behind “everything” he did as CEO of Athenahealth, which included laying off workers. Bush’s record was further complicated by unresolved personal controversies from his time as CEO of Athenahealth, including allegations of sexual harassment, mass layoffs, and his abrupt departure under investor pressure. During his gubernatorial campaign, Bush faced renewed scrutiny over a documented history of domestic violence and attempted to dismiss its significance. Bush also faced scrutiny for potentially not meeting Maine’s residency requirements to run for governor.
¶ Jonathan Bush Supported Devastating Health Care Cuts
- In October 2025, Jonathan Bush praised the Trump administration’s health care policies and expressed enthusiasm for its approach, even as warnings mounted that Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” would lead to major coverage losses and widespread disruption to Medicaid. Experts found that Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” and the expiration of Affordable Care Act tax credits would result in 33,000 Mainers becoming uninsured by 2034. The bill was projected to leave more than 57,300 Mainers without health care coverage overall, including 22,700 ACA enrollees and nearly 34,700 Medicaid recipients, reversing gains made under the Affordable Care Act that dramatically lowered the uninsured rate among low-income workers.
- Bush explicitly supported converting Medicaid into block grants, called expanded Medicaid a “crazy and terrible idea,” and urged officials to “roll people back.” Bush also called the Affordable Care Act a “wealth redistribution mechanism,” and further claimed federal health programs were “jamming everybody’s nose in the same puppy poop.” In 2026, more than 58,500 Mainers were enrolled in Affordable Care Act Marketplace health insurance plans.
Message: Jonathan Bush supported Trump’s health care policies that would rip health coverage away from tens of thousands of Mainers.
¶ Jonathan Bush Criticized Medicare
- In October 2025, Jonathan Bush praised the Trump administration’s health care policies and expressed enthusiasm for its approach, even as the Congressional Budget Office estimated that Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” would trigger nearly $500 billion in cuts to Medicare.
- Bush also framed Medicare as a “wealth redistribution mechanism,” and further claimed federal health programs were “jamming everybody’s nose in the same puppy poop.”
Message: Jonathan Bush scrutinized Medicare, which seniors relied on for health care.
¶ JONATHAN BUSH SUPPORTED RAISING THE SOCIAL SECURITY RETIREMENT AGE
- Jonathan Bush said he “wouldn’t mind” raising the Social Security retirement age to 70, even though more than 375,700 Mainers relied on Social Security benefits.
Message: Jonathan Bush supported stripping Social Security from seniors.
¶ Jonathan Bush Criticized SNAP While Thousands Of Mainers Relied On It
- In 2024, Jonathan Bush belittled food stamps as a “wealth distribution mechanism” and criticized government assistance while more than 78,000 households in Maine relied on SNAP to meet basic food needs.
Message: Jonathan Bush demeaned food assistance while tens of thousands of Maine families depended on SNAP to afford groceries and put food on the table.
¶ Jonathan Bush Praised Trump’s Governing Approach While Trump’s DOGE Cuts Threatened Maine’s Non-Profits And Services
- In 2026, Jonathan Bush praised Trump’s governing approach and said the country owed Trump “a debt of gratitude,” even as DOGE-driven cuts were impacting Maine non-profits and services.
- Bush called for a $1 billion tax cut and proposed sweeping audits and automation of the state government. Trump’s DOGE-related cuts eliminated roughly $3 million in federal funding for Maine nonprofits and environmental programs and threatened the livelihoods of more than 12,700 federal workers across the state, including employees at Acadia National Park and other critical federal agencies.
Message: While essential government services faltered and federal workers were laid off, Jonathan Bush praised Trump’s governance.
¶ JONATHAN BUSH STOOD “BEHIND” LAYING OFF EMPLOYEES AS ATHENAHEALTH CEO
- In 2025, Jonathan Bush said he stood behind “everything” he did as CEO of Athenahealth. Under Bush’s leadership, Athenahealth carried out large-scale layoffs and office closures amid pressure from activist investors.
Message: Jonathan Bush stood by his record as Athenahealth CEO while overseeing mass layoffs and office closures.
¶ AS ATHENAHEALTH CEO, JONATHAN BUSH FACED ALLEGATIONS OF SEXUALLY INAPPROPRIATE CONDUCT AND A SEXUALLY HOSTILE WORK ENVIRONMENT
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In 2025, Jonathan Bush said he stood behind “everything” he did as CEO of Athenahealth. While serving as CEO of Athenahealth, Jonathan Bush faced allegations of sexually inappropriate conduct and a sexually hostile work environment. In 2009, in a case that was settled confidentially, a female employee filed a complaint that alleged Bush made “sexually oriented remarks” towards female employees. In June 2018, Bush abruptly stepped down as CEO while the company explored a potential sale and buyout.
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In later interviews, Jonathan Bush blamed an activist campaign from Elliott Management and what he described as “cancel culture” for his removal.
Message: Jonathan Bush left Athenahealth amid sexual misconduct reporting and investor pressure, then refused to take responsibility.
¶ JONATHAN BUSH DOWNPLAYED HIS HISTORY OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AS “CANCEL CULTURE”
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According to court records from 2006, Jonathan Bush admitted to repeated acts of physical violence against his first wife during their marriage, resulting in court intervention during their divorce. Bush’s ex-wife alleged that he “struck her on numerous occasions once causing a black eye and has thrown hard objects at her.”
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During his 2026 gubernatorial campaign, Bush repeatedly minimized his domestic violence history in on-air interviews, recasting documented abuse as a “tough divorce” and emphasizing his ex-wife’s expressed support. When confronted directly, Bush deflected accountability by attributing the allegations to an activist investor campaign and “cancel culture,” while declining to substantively address the violence itself.
Message: Jonathan Bush downplayed documented domestic violence and refused to take accountability when confronted during his gubernatorial campaign.
¶ JONATHAN BUSH WAS NOT A MAINER AND MIGHT NOT HAVE MET MAINE’S RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT FOR GOVERNOR
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In 2026, Jonathan Bush faced questions about whether he met the state’s five-year requirement to serve as governor. Bush's Maine residency timeline drew scrutiny after records showed he maintained ties to Massachusetts, claimed primary residence tax benefits there, and did not register to vote in Maine until 2022.
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Jonathan Bush faced questions about his connection to Maine during a tense interview, where he acknowledged he was not born in the state, described himself as a “summer guy,” and pushed back on claims he wanted to be governor of “any state.”
Message: Jonathan Bush’s ties to Massachusetts and limited roots in Maine raised questions about whether he truly qualified to serve as governor.
¶ Issue Back-Ups
¶ Jonathan Bush's Policies Have Hurt Everyday People
| Jonathan Bush Supported Efforts To Cut Medicaid And Threaten Mainers’ Access To Health Care
| Jonathan Bush Scrutinized Medicare
| Jonathan Bush Supported Raising The Social Security Retirement Age
| Jonathan Bush Criticized SNAP While Thousands Of Mainers Relied On It
| Jonathan Bush Praised Trump’s Governing Approach While Trump’s DOGE Cuts Threatened Maine’s Non-Profits And Services
¶ Jonathan Bush Laid Off Workers
| Jonathan Bush Stood Behind Laying Off Employees As Athenahealth CEO¶ Jonathan Bush Had Notorious Scandals
| As Athenahealth CEO, Jonathan Bush Faced Allegations Of Sexually Inappropriate Conduct And A Sexually Hostile Work Environment
| Jonathan Bush Downplayed His History Of Domestic Violence As "Cancel Culture"
| Jonathan Bush Was Not A Mainer And Might Not Have Met Maine’s Residency Requirement For Governor