Maine primary voters facing a packed ballot

Maine voters will face a crowded field of candidates in some of the June primary contests on Tuesday, June 9, and voters in Washington County will decide three contested Republican races. Under Maine's new semi-open primary law, unenrolled voters can participate in one of the party primaries without joining that party. The state will use ranked-choice voting in the primary election.

In the contest for U.S. Senate, Republican Senator Susan Collins will face the winner of the Democratic primary, with progressive populist Graham Platner, an oyster farmer from Sullivan, running against David Costello of Brunswick, who has state and federal government experience. Governor Janet Mills of Farmington has suspended her campaign, while Andrea LaFlamme, a progressive activist from Bangor, is running as a write-in candidate.

For governor, 12 candidates are running -- seven candidates in the Republican primary and five in the Democratic race. On the Republican ballot are Jonathan Bush of Cape Elizabeth, who is a technology entrepreneur and former CEO of Athenahealth; Robert "Bobby" Charles of Leeds, a former assistant secretary of state in the U.S. State Department; David Jones of Falmouth, a businessman and real estate broker; Garrett Mason of Lisbon, who is a businessman and former Maine Senate Republican leader; Owen McCarthy, an engineer and entrepreneur from Gorham; Benjamin Midgley, a political newcomer from Kennebunkport; and Robert Wessels, another political newcomer from Paris. James Libby of Standish has withdrawn from the race.

Running on the Democratic side are Shenna Bellows of Manchester, who is the current Maine secretary of state; Troy Jackson of Allagash, a logger and former Maine Senate president; Angus King III of Portland, a businessman and renewable energy executive; Hannah Pingree of North Haven, a former speaker of the Maine House; and Nirav Shah of Brunswick, the former director of the Maine CDC.

Four Democrats and one Republican are running to replace Jared Golden as congressman in the 2nd Congressional District, as Golden is not seeking reelection. In the race for the Democrats are Joseph Baldacci, an attorney and state senator from Bangor; Matthew Dunlap of Old Town, the current state auditor and a former secretary of state; Paige Loud, a social worker from Old Town; and Jordan Wood of Auburn, a former vice president of End Citizens United. The winner will face former governor Paul LePage of Augusta, the only Republican candidate, in the November election.

STATE SENATE

In Washington County races, candidates in contested races are profiled.

Two Republicans are running in the District 6 State Senate race – Kenneth "Bucket" Davis of East Machias and Billy Bob Faulkingham of Winter Harbor. The winner will face independent Aaron Dana of Indian Township, who has served as the Passamaquoddy tribal representative in the legislature, in the general election. The district, which has been represented by State Senator Marianne Moore of Calais, who is term-limited, covers all of Washington County and 17% of Hancock County's population.

Kenneth "Bucket" Davis

Kenneth "Bucket" Davis, who was born and raised in Downeast Maine, has served as an East Machias selectman for 35 years and represented District 10 in the House of Representatives from 2022 to 2024. He served on the Marine Resources Committee, where he says he "often worked across the aisle to pass legislation important to Maine's seafood industry and coastal communities."

Davis spent more than 45 years working in the local school system and continues to work part‑time in transportation. He says, "Those experiences taught me the value of hard work, local leadership and standing up for rural Maine communities. I have always been a strong supporter of public schools and will continue fighting for local control and increased state funding for our rural schools."

Davis says that "Senate District 6 deserves strong representation from Washington County, which makes up 83% of this district. The people of this region need someone who uses common sense to make decisions that will help our economy, our schools, our fisheries and benefit our hard-working families Downeast."

Davis says that if he is elected he will "focus on improving affordability and strengthening our economy by creating and keeping jobs here at home. I strongly support adding value to our seafood and timber industries by processing more seafood and wood products locally instead of sending our natural resources to Canada. Expanding local processing and marketing value‑added products worldwide could create hundreds of good‑paying jobs in our  communities and help strengthen our economy for future generations."

Davis believes the state should invest in workforce development. "We should encourage more young people to enter the trades and create incentives for local businesses to offer apprenticeship programs. Strong adult education programs are also essential so people can work during the day while retraining at night for better‑paying careers."

He says, "I am a conservative pro‑life Republican that believes in the rights given to all of us in the Constitution, and I will fight hard for all of the people in Maine Senate District 6."

Billy Bob Faulkingham

Billy Bob Faulkingham, who is currently the House minority leader, says, "Growing up and living my entire life in Downeast Maine, I've seen firsthand the strength, resilience and work ethic of the people who call this region home. I'm running for State Senate because I believe the people of Senate District 6 deserve someone who truly understands their lives, their struggles and their hopes for the future -- because I've lived them myself."

Faulkingham is a commercial lobsterman, a Marine veteran and a small business owner. He says, "My biggest reason for running is my kids and their future. No one fights harder than a father fighting for his family. I want my children -- and every young person growing up in Maine -- to not only have the ability to stay here, but to stay here and thrive."

He continues, "Right now, too many families are struggling with rising taxes, high energy costs, inflation and an economy that simply is not growing fast enough. Maine's economic growth has flatlined, while young people continue leaving our state in search of opportunity elsewhere. That has to change."

He says the state needs to make Maine more affordable and more business‑friendly. "That means lowering taxes, reducing energy costs, cutting unnecessary regulations and creating an environment where businesses can grow and create good‑paying jobs. We should be focused on increasing Maine's GDP, strengthening our workforce and making it easier for working families to succeed."

"I know what it's like to pay a mortgage, manage a small business, balance a family budget and earn a living with my hands. Like so many people across Senate District 6, I work hard for everything I have."

He adds, "Nobody is more in touch with the people of this region than someone who has been one of them his entire life. That's the perspective I'll continue bringing to Augusta every single day."

MAINE HOUSE SEATS

For House District 9, Republican incumbent Arthur "Artie" Mingo of Calais will face Democratic challenger Nicole Richards of Calais in the general election.

In District 11, Democrat Keith Newman of Addison will challenge incumbent Republican Tiffany Strout of Harrington in the November election.

In District 10, two Republicans are running -- Daniel Daley of Lubec and incumbent William Tuell of East Machias. The winner will face Democratic candidate Genevieve Lemire of Pembroke in the fall.

Daniel Daley

Dan Daley has worked as a physical therapist for nearly 30 years and has built and operates a high‑tech recruiting agency. He and his wife Danielle also manage short‑term rentals and raise bison in West Lubec. "Like many families here, we understand the challenges of running businesses, paying taxes and making ends meet in Washington County," he says.

For the past three years Daley has served as a Lubec selectman, where he helped implement a payment in lieu of taxes program to help offset the tax burden caused by conservation and land trust ownership. He also serves on the Washington County Budget Advisory Committee, which helped reduce a proposed 40% increase in the county budget down to 18%.

Daley says, "I'm running because Augusta has become disconnected from rural Maine. Too many decisions are made by people who don't live here, don't work here and don't deal with the consequences when government gets it wrong. The result has been reckless spending, overregulation, rising taxes and policies that make it harder for families and small businesses to survive."

He continues, "I believe in common‑sense Republican values: fiscal responsibility, lower taxes, accountable government, law and order and support for local jobs and businesses."

"My focus is simple: help people afford to live and work here again. That means cutting red tape, lowering energy and living costs, supporting job creation, fixing unfair state funding formulas and standing up for Washington County communities. I will fight to protect our lobstermen from any offshore wind development impacting LMA 1. I'd be honored to earn your vote and represent our community in Augusta."

William Tuell

Will Tuell has served 10 years in the legislature on the State and Local Government and Marine Resources committees, 17 years as a selectman in East Machias and worked in communications and media for 20 years.

He says, "Washington County needs experienced, hard-working legislators who know the process and can work for our towns, schools, law enforcement and fishing industry now more than ever. This school funding formula reform is going to take many steps to fully implement; this area needs to be part of that reform or we'll be worse off than we are now."

Concerning affordability and economic challenges area residents face, Tuell says, "This session I proposed a gas tax freeze for two months. I also believe we need to increase homestead exemption and fund our schools, jails and law enforcement in order to reduce the burden on our towns and property taxpayers."

As for working across the aisle to get legislation passed, he says that the school funding bill is "a perfect example of that. Our delegation fought hard for that bill, testified for it and was there to support it in the end. We did that with reopening the Downeast prison years ago and again with arming the forest rangers. You have to work across the aisle and not burn bridges if people are willing to cross them."

Tuell says he supports a statewide data center moratorium. "We don't know what these data centers will do to our communities, our fisheries and our state. It just makes sense that we put a temporary ban in place till we get our ducks in a row."

DISTRICT 3 COUNTY COMMISSIONER

All of the races for county offices are uncontested, except for the District 3 county commissioner seat, where two Republicans are running -- incumbent Courtney Hammond of Columbia Falls and William "Bimbo" Look of Jonesport.

Courtney Hammond

Courtney Hammond of Columbia Falls is the farm manager at Lynch Hill Farms in Harrington and operations manager at Hammond & Sons Oil Company. He is president of the Pleasant River Ambulance Service, vice president of the Epping Fire District, a committee member of the U.S. Farm Services Agency, a member of the Maine Wild Blueberry Commission, the University of Maine Advisory Committee and a board member of the Wild Blueberry Association of North America. He previously was president of the Maine Farm Bureau and is a retired Maine forest ranger. He is currently serving as county commissioner for District 3, having been appointed by the governor to complete the term of former commissioner John Crowley, who resigned due to health issues.

Hammond states, "I am running for Washington County commissioner, District 3, to continue the hard work that has been done in the county to put us back in good financial condition, provide for greater transparency and put policies in place to ensure that we never end up in a financial crisis again."

He adds, "There is still work to do, and I want to continue to work closely with the towns in my district as we move ahead. Washington County provides necessary services to the people who live here, and the taxpayers deserve fiscal accountability and responsibility."

William "Bimbo" Look

William "Bimbo" Look has been a business owner since he had his first truck at age 15. He says, "Over the years, I have seen every angle of the business as an owner‑operator and long‑haul trucker. I have worked in trucks, under trucks and overhauled trucks  learning the transportation industry from the ground up."

Look says that for more than 40 years he has "built experience in logistics, cost management and budgeting, including preparing annual estimates for the sardine industry. I have also managed warehousing and cold storage facilities, giving me practical experience in operations and financial oversight."

He later returned to the family business, Look Lobster Co. in Jonesport, where he works alongside his father, growing the company to five locations along the Maine coast. "I am proud to be the fourth generation of our family business, which has served our community for 116 years."

In addition to business, he has served three terms as a selectman in Jonesport. He says, "That experience taught me the value of strong local leadership and gave me the opportunity to work with some of the best people in municipal government."

Look states, "My biggest accomplishment is my family -- my wife of 44 years, Letitia, and I have two daughters, Tasha and Ashlei, and three grandchildren, Kooper, Piper and Rosie."

He says, "I may be old‑fashioned, but I believe Washington County could use some old fashion right about now. If elected, I will work hard to make Washington County better. I promise to keep my hands on the wheel and my eyes on the county. As commissioner I will push to have an annual audit so not to have the budget woes like in the past."

Look states, "I will be accountable, committed and watchful like a rooster watching for first light to protect the county's best interests."

OTHER COUNTY RACES

Chief Deputy Michael Crabtree of Whiting, a Republican, is running to be the next sheriff, replacing Barry Curtis, who is not seeking reelection.

For district attorney for District 7, the current DA, Robert Granger of Blue Hill, is seeking reelection and is unopposed.

For judge of probate, Dennis Mahar of Pembroke, a Democrat, is running to replace Lyman Holmes, who is not running again.

For register of probate, incumbent Darlene Perry of Machias, a Republican, is the only candidate, and the only candidate for register of deeds is incumbent Tammy Gay of East Machias.