Republican governor candidate Bobby Charles is launching into the general election after winning the primary, by leveling criticism on Democratic opponent Hannah Pingree.

Pingree worked for outgoing Governor Janet Mills administration, who Charles has said is responsible problems in education, housing and high costs.

“This is an individual who literally rubber-stamped for six of the eight years everything that Janet Mills did,” said Charles.

Charles is wasting no time in criticizing Democrats in general for all the problems he thinks the state is facing.

“If there was a book written with every chapter, how to destroy a state, they have not missed a chapter,” Charles said. “They have put us in a state of, I use the word peril.”

Charles has been called a MAGA conservative as well as a conservative firebrand.

Pingree has shot back at Charles, noting his own primary opponents labeled him a Washington lobbyist. Political watchers say she is also likely to link Charles to President Trump, who has low approval ratings and is overseeing an unpopular war with Iran.

Charles was a guest on WGAN Monday morning, while Pingree has been invited to be a guest Tuesday.

His campaign promises included eliminating Maine’s income tax and cutting the state’s roughly $7 billion budget by $4 billion.

Charles worked in the State Department during George W. Bush’s administration before founding a Washington-based consulting firm.

He won the primary in a seven-person Republican field despite what Politico calls “vastly more money being spent on behalf of a few other candidates.”

Independent candidate Rick Bennett will also be on November’s ballot with Charles and Pingree.