AUGUSTA, Maine -- Republican gubernatorial candidate Bobby Charles today released a new digital ad filmed on the grounds of the Maine State House, arguing that Democrat Hannah Pingree represents continuity with the Janet Mills era — not a change of direction.

Shot against yellow caution tape stretched across the State House lawn, the 48-second spot frames Augusta as a “crime scene” of career-insider politics. On-screen text and Charles’s narration hit three themes:

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Continuity with Mills. The ad states that “Hannah Pingree ran Janet Mills policy” and that she is “the same Augusta with a new name on the door.”

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Family and government money. Graphics assert that “Pingree’s husband got government money.”

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Accountability. Charles, a former federal official, calls to “open the books, investigate the crimes, [and] hold Maine accountable.” The ad ends on “It’s time for a change,” with the campaign slogan “Cut crime, cut taxes” and a paid-for-by disclaimer from the Bobby Charles for Maine Governor Campaign Committee.

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Charles appears on camera in a Navy cap and American-flag jacket patch, holding a roll of caution tape as a visual stand-in for unfinished business in Augusta.

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“This race is not a rebrand. It is a choice,” the campaign said in releasing the video. “Maine families are paying the price for high crime, high taxes, and a capital that protects itself. We will open the books and hold people accountable.”

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The ad is paid for by the Bobby Charles for Maine Governor Campaign Committee.