The ailing and aimless Democratic Party may have found itself a leader.

No, it is not the chanting (“We will win”) Sen. Chuck Schumer or the shrieking, arm waving Sen. Elizabeth Warren, or any other of the frenzied and furious Democrats protesting in front of empty Washington office buildings.

Nor is it former Vice President Kamala Harris who is whipping up a new word salad or burnt out California Gov. Gavin Newsom.

No. That new leader might be Maine Gov. Janet Mills who so far is the only Democrat to publicly stand up to President Trump.

It happed last week when Trump singled Mills out over the issue of men playing in women’s sports, which Trump has banned, at a dinner meeting at the White House for the nation’s governors.

The face-to-face encounter between Trump, 78, and Mills, 77, made news across the nation. Nobody stands up to Trump the way she did.

And while Mills was on the wrong side of the issue as far as the public is concerned, her standing up to Trump resonated not only with progressive Democrats, but with Democrats looking for a leader — any leader —  to help dig them out of the hole they have dug for themselves.

Mills gave Trump as good as she got when Trump, speaking about his executive order banning men in women’s sports, sought out Mills.

Mills previously said Maine would not comply with the ban despite the controversy over a biological boy identifying as a girl who won a pole vault event in a Maine state school championship.  After placing fifth competing as a boy in the event two years earlier, the transgender athlete won by a large margin when competing against the girl pole vaulters.

In what appeared to be a setup, Trump, looking over a sea of governors asked, “Is Maine here, the governor of Maine?”

“I’m here,” Mills replied.

“Are you not going to comply with it?

“I’m complying with state and federal laws,” Mills said.

“We are the federal law,” Trump said.  “You’d better comply. Otherwise, you’re not getting any federal funding at all if you don’t.”

“We’ll see you in court,” Mills said.

“Good,” Trump said. “I’ll see you in court. I look forward to that. That should be an easy one.” Then, unable to resist a dig, he said, “And enjoy your life after governor because I don’t think you will be in elected politics.”

That was in reference to Mills being prohibited from seeking a third consecutive term as governor, and reports that she may run against Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins in 2026.

Mills is also the governor of a state that removed Trump from the state’s 2024 primary ballot. It was later rescinded by the courts.

Hardly had the confrontation concluded, than the U.S. Department of Education sent a letter to Maine education officials announcing that it will investigate the state allowing men to compete in women’s school sports.

At stake are some $226 million in federal education funds that the state receives.

Mills said the investigation was “predetermined” and “politically motivated.” In a related statement she said Maine will “take all appropriate and necessary legal action to restore that funding and the academic opportunity it provides.”

Which could mean new taxes.

Still the feisty Mills is undaunted. And, given the path she is on she could become the national leader in the Democratic resistance to Trump.

She is the only elected Democratic official around to take Trump on in a White House face-to-face gathering.

Trump may have expected Mills to wither, but the former district attorney, attorney general and now governor, did not, even though she stood alone among the room full of fellow governors.

Trump, who initiated the confrontation, surely scored points with the people who are opposed to having men in women’s sports, locker rooms, bathrooms and showers. They are the majority. And Trump campaigned on the issue.

While on the wrong side of the issue, Mills is to be credited for having the courage to stand up to Trump and not be pushed around by his bullying behavior.

It certainly beats all the whining and personal attacks on Trump coming from Democrats who still do not know why they lost the last election.

Veteran political reporter Peter Lucas can be reached at: peter.lucas@bostonherald.com