Both parties’ legislative primaries hot contests

AUGUSTA – Most legislative candidates are already looking ahead to November, but for contestants in a score of races for the House of Representatives and in seven Senate districts, a preliminary showdown comes first.

When voters go to the polls June 11 for Maine’s primary elections, nine sets of Democrats and 12 sets of Republicans will be vying for their party’s nominations to the House.

House District 68, left open by departing fourth-term Republican Tom Winsor of Norway, has nomination battles in both parties.

On the Senate side are five Democratic and three Republican primary matchups, with both parties holding runoffs in Senate District 16, where Democrat Marge Kilkelly of Wiscasset is stepping down after three terms.

Three incumbent House members – Democratic Reps. Joanne Twomey of Biddeford, John McDonough of Portland and William Cote of Lewiston – face intraparty challenges.

The challengers are Robert Farley of Biddeford, Edward Suslovic of Portland and Paul Samson of Lewiston.

One incumbent senator, Republican Peter Mills of Cornville, is seeking a House seat. Mills, who as a fourth-term member of the Senate is barred from re-election to that body, faces fellow Republican Aaron Chadbourne of Palmyra in a House District 108 primary.

The free-for-all in House District 68 pits Marilyn Baker of Waterford against Brian Sessions of Norway on the Democratic side, while the GOP face-off features Adam Brown of Norway and Sawin Millett of Waterford.

Republicans have three three-way House primaries, Democrats one.

In House District 66, Republicans John Bertl of New Portland, Jeffrey Jacques of Bingham and William Tower of Moscow are vying for the right to challenge Democratic incumbent Monica McGlocklin of Embden.

Hoping to succeed Republican Senate hopeful Carol Weston in House District 110 are GOP candidates Matthew Evans of Palermo, Sandy George of Montville and Galen Larrabee of Knox.

Three other Republicans – Leonard Earl Bierman of Sorrento, Raymond Jones of Gouldsboro and Ferdinand Slater of Hancock – are running in House District 132 in hopes of succeeding another GOP Senate hopeful, William Pinkham.

Three Democrats – Jerald Markley of Penobscot, Kent Price of Orland and James Schatz of Blue Hill – seek the party’s nomination in House District 128, left open by the departure of four-term Republican Royce Perkins.

One of the GOP Senate primaries matches incumbent Sen. Michael McAlevey of Waterboro and Rep. Richard Nass of Acton in Senate District 34.

One incumbent Senate Democrat is being challenged as well: A bid for re-election by Kenneth Gagnon of Waterville in Senate District 14 is being contested by former Sen. Richard Carey of Belgrade.

In Senate District 3, Rep. Stephen Stanley of Medway is matched with former Rep. Herbert Clark of Millinocket in a contest for the Democratic nomination to succeed congressional hopeful Michael Michaud.

Another Democratic contest is being held in Senate District 13, where Rep. Paul Tessier of Fairfield faces former Rep. Pamela Hatch of Skowhegan.

Portland Democrats in Senate District 28 will choose between Rep. Michael Quint and Ethan Strimling as their nominee to succeed retiring Democratic Sen. Anne Rand.

Dual contests in Senate District 16 have former Rep. John Carroll of Edgecomb and Leslie Fossel of Alna on the Republican side, and Rep. Christopher Hall of Bristol and former Rep. Benjamin Rines of Wiscasset running for the Democratic nomination.

In Senate District 30, Democratic incumbent Lynn Bromley of South Portland is awaiting the award of a Republican nomination to either Linda Boudreau or Ralph Kilgore, who also are from South Portland.

Democrats currently control the Senate with an 18-16 edge over Republicans. There is one independent.

The House also is under Democratic control, 89-61-1.