AUGUSTA – A last-minute decision by a Washington County lawmaker to ditch his state Senate campaign has left majority Democrats scrambling to find a write-in candidate to take his place.

Rep. Al Goodwin, D-Pembroke, abandoned his Senate District 29 bid Monday to enter a three-way primary for Washington County commissioner in a move that angered some Democrats and confounded others. Republicans in the Senate Tuesday were privately giving each other a “high-five,” knowing that GOP District 29 candidate Kevin Raye of Perry may be running unopposed on the Nov. 2 ballot.

“It’s a big year for Republicans,” said Andre E. Cushing III, state coordinator for the House Republican Leadership Team. “It’s the first time in more than 30 years that we’ve had Republican candidates for all 186 legislative seats.”

Goodwin, currently finishing his fourth and final House term, told Senate Democratic leaders and members of the Washington County Democratic legislative delegation that he would run for the Senate in November, but never returned his nomination papers for the position. His decision was particularly troublesome to state Rep. Edward Dugay, a three-term Democratic lawmaker from Cherryfield, who had considered running for the Senate until Goodwin expressed interest in the seat.

Dugay said he had met privately with Goodwin who had assured him he only wanted to hold the Senate seat for one term, thereby leaving the position open for Dugay, who would be forced to leave the House in 2006 because of term limits. Not eager to engage in a primary race for the Senate seat, Dugay decided to seek his final term in the House.

Legislative candidates had until 5 p.m. Monday to file their nomination papers with the Secretary of State’s Office. Goodwin showed up with his petition Monday, but he turned in papers for the office of county commissioner – not state senator.

Senate Democrats were caught completely off-guard by Goodwin’s sudden change of heart and Dugay was wild.

“I couldn’t believe he did it,” Dugay said. “It was a complete surprise. I was really interested in running for the Senate. It would have been perfect for me.”

Goodwin was unapologetic Tuesday as far as either Dugay or the Senate Democrats were concerned. He said his last-minute decision was made from his determination of what was in the best interests of Washington County and he entered the three-way Democratic primary for the District 2 county commissioner post.

“Washington County is in desperate straits,” he said. “We have a $4 million-plus budget. We need to cut back and do some things. Al Goodwin doesn’t know how to spell the word ‘quit.’ So we’ll just go for it [in the primary] and let the folks decide. I feel that I’ve made the right decision.”

Goodwin said he had “no worries” about Dugay’s political career, saying his fellow House member could have “run for the Senate if he had wanted to.” Senate Democratic leaders, he said, have not spoken with him since he decided not to run for District 29.

“They were only interested in me as long as I could do something for them,” he said.

Senate President Pro Tempore Sharon A. Treat, D-Farmingdale, acknowledged Tuesday that Goodwin’s decision created a minor obstacle for Democrats in District 29 as the party struggles to maintain supremacy. The state Senate has been a battlefield for both parties over the last decade. Currently the Democratic majority there is determined by a single vote and the Senate is divided 18-17 between the two major parties. An independent senator forced a unique power-sharing agreement in the Senate two years ago when the parties split 17-17-1. In another close-fought battle, Republicans held the majority in 1994.

Senate Democrats only hope of being on the ballot for District 29 in November is to find a write-in candidate for the June 8 primary. The write-in candidate must have been enrolled in the party on or before March 15 and must receive at least 200 votes in the primary.

“We’ve done it before,” Treat said. “Last time our candidate got on with a write-in campaign, so we know it can be done. We’re not really concerned about that.”