Dutremble, Longley lead 1st District> Sen. Bonnie Titcomb concedes Democratic nomination

The 1st District congressional contest turned into an unexpected horse race Tuesday night with favorites Democrat Dennis Dutremble and Republican James B. Longley fighting off strong opposition from two state senators.

With 89 percent of the returns in, Longley was leading state Sen. Charles Summers of Scarborough, 41 to 25 percent, while Senate President Dennis Dutremble was leading state Sen. Bonnie Titcomb 35 to 22 percent. Secretary of State G. William Diamond was third with 21 percent.

With the sounds of “Duke of Earl” playing behind him at the Rochambeau Club in Biddeford, Dutremble accepted victory after the other three candidates called to concede. He reported that he carried his hometown of Biddeford 3,282-229 over Titcomb, rolled up a 7-1 edge in Saco and 4-1 in Sanford.

The issues in the fall, he said, will be jobs and universal health care. “I want to speak for all Americans,” Dutremble said.

At the Ramada Inn in Portland, Titcomb conceded. “We have shaken the world a little. It was a battle to break through,” she said.

At 12:30 a.m. Longley finally claimed victory after the other three candidates called to concede. The issues in November “will be the same issues I have been discussing. Government is out of control. Government, taxes and regulation have grown beyond the capacity of most people to sustain.”

Summers said at midnight, “It would appear that we have lost. It looks very difficult at this point.” Attacked as “Jock Lite” by Democrats, Summers said his “electability” was demonstrated in heavily Democratic York County when he upset a 14-year incumbent in his race for the state Senate. The GOP must offer a candidate who can win in November and “I am that candidate,” he told the state Republican Convention this spring.

In the Democratic race, with 89 percent of the vote reported, Diamond had 21 percent of the vote, running just ahead of former Portland Mayor William Troubh, at 20 percent.

On the Republican side, Camden radio owner Kevin Keogh had 18 percent, running just ahead of former Portland City Councilor Ted Rand, with 15 percent.

Dutremble was considered the early favorite thanks to his family name, position as senate president and a well-financed campaign. He was expected to feast on the heavily Democratic precincts in York County to develop a plurality that would withstand the expected Diamond strength in Cumberland County. Diamond represented Cumberland County for 10 years in the Senate and carried Cumberland County in his 1986 run for governor.

In his television ads, Dutremble emphasized his family history in public service which included a grandfather who was killed in the line of duty as a police officer, a father who was mayor of Biddeford and an uncle who was York County sheriff.

The big surprise was the strong showing of Titcomb and the weak showing of Diamond.

Although Troubh claimed credit for bringing the Cumberland County Civic Center, Bath Iron Works and the Sea Dogs baseball team to Portland, he was not well known outside the city. A Portland lawyer, Troubh was close behind Dutremble in campaign funds. Dutremble raised $127,000 and Troubh, $121,000.

On the Republican side, Longley, with no political experience and little money, paradoxically had the highest name recognition thanks to his popular father who served as the state’s only independent governor. “I am proud to be his son and I am running on many of his ideas partly because his ideas have been ignored. It is actually a burden in some ways because people’s expectations are higher. He worked hard, had a difficult journey and paid a hell of a price. He was too far ahead of his time.”

Camden radio station owner Kevin Keogh, who served as an aggressive state party chairman, was not well known outside the midcoast area. Portland City Councilor Ted Rand never developed a credible campaign.