Machias selectman wins House seat Daughter of late Rep. Bagley also sought position in write-in campaign

A Machias Democrat picked to run for a state House seat vacated after the Oct. 21 death of Rep. Martha Bagley, D-Machias, prevailed in Tuesday’s voting, despite a write-in campaign for one of Bagley’s daughters.

Edward Pellon, who is a Machias selectman, won the race for House District 133, which comprises Beals, Cutler, Jonesboro, Jonesport, Machias, Machiasport, Roque Bluffs and Whiting.

In other Down East races, one of the few upsets was in District 135, where Democratic newcomer Anne Perry beat incumbent Republican John Morrison.

Veteran representative Edward Dugay, D-Cherryfield, won re-election in District 131, as did Rep. George H. Bunker Jr., D-Kossuth, and state Sen. Kevin Shorey, R-Perry.

Pellon was the Democrat chosen at the last minute to run for Bagley’s seat after her death. He beat Republican Christopher Paul Cambron of Jonesport 832-724, while Bagley’s daughter, Kim Bagley of Machias, garnered 671 write-in-votes. Write-ins for Kim Bagley were particularly strong in Machias, where she received 267 votes to Pellon’s 281.

Bagley carried Roque Bluffs, the town where her mother was born. Bagley received 52 votes, compared with 32 for Cambron and 24 for Pellon.

Pellon was out of town Wednesday on a previously scheduled trip and couldn’t be reached, according to Sandra Clifton, the deputy town clerk.

Machias Town Manager Christine Therrien said she has spoken with Pellon and said that he does not intend to resign from the Machias Board of Selectmen. He is chairman of the five-member board and hasn’t decided whether he will step down as chair, she said.

Therrien said the Maine Municipal Association has reported there is no problem with a town official serving in the Legislature unless the official is in a paid position, such as assessor, tax collector or treasurer.

Machias selectmen meet on Monday nights, and the Legislature convenes on Tuesday mornings, so Pellon will be in town for the meetings, Therrien said.

Meanwhile, Dugay was re-elected in House District 131 with 60 percent of the vote, beating Alfred D. Moore Jr. 1,844 to 1,245. His district comprises Franklin and Sullivan in Hancock County as well as Addison, Cherryfield, Columbia, Harrington, Milbridge and Steuben in Washington County.

“That’s the highest margin of voters I’ve had in three terms and this is the first time I’ve carried all eight towns,” Dugay said Wednesday.

Dugay, who once worked as an aide to U.S. Rep. John Baldacci, said he is looking forward to serving under Baldacci, Maine’s new governor.

In District 135, Perry beat incumbent Morrison 1,321 to 1,189.

“I really am looking forward to having an opportunity to work for this county at the state level,” Perry said Wednesday evening. “The biggest challenge I see right now is what we are looking at statewide on the budget, and the challenge is going to be finding a way with this to bring some positives back for this county.”

Her district comprises Alexander, Baileyville, Calais, Princeton, Robbinston and Baring.

In the District 136 contest between incumbent George Bunker and Shawn MacDonald, Bunker prevailed 1,510 to 1,312

“I think we did well in Washington County,” Bunker said Wednesday.

Shorey of Senate District 4 easily hung onto his seat, beating Ralph Barnett 6,456 to 4,763. “I am very excited about the opportunity to serve the people of Washington County for another two years,” Shorey said. “Although with the tough session I feel we are going to have – we are looking at $1.1 billion deficit – my challenge is going to be to go down there to fight to maintain the things we already have here in Washington County.”

Shorey said the challenge in the past has been to attract new ventures to Washington County, including the $6.6 million Downeast Heritage Center and the planned $22 million third St. Croix River bridge in the Calais area. “Our challenge now, coupled with the Washington County delegation, is to make sure that we keep what we have here – and also I want to go after that prison again,” he said.

On Tuesday, voters statewide rejected a $25 million bond issue to raise the money to build a new correctional facility in Machias to replace the aging structure at Bucks Harbor.

In Princeton, voters in a nonbinding straw poll favored building a casino in Maine by a vote of 171-121.

In the face of opposition from some southern communities, the Penobscot Nation and Passamaquoddy Tribe hope to build a multimillion-dollar casino-hotel complex in southern Maine. Some Washington County communities have said they favored the Passamaquoddy building a satellite casino-hotel complex in Calais.