LEWISTON – The Republican gubernatorial primary officially expanded to three candidates Monday when state Sen. Chandler Woodcock announced his intentions to become the Grand Old Party’s choice to oppose Democratic Gov. John E. Baldacci in 2006.

A former teacher, coach and Vietnam veteran, Woodcock is a 56-year-old Mechanic Falls native who has honed a reputation as a social conservative during his three terms as senator for District 18. A resident of Farmington for many years with his wife, Charlotte, and four children, Woodcock made his announcement from Simone’s Hot Dog Stand in Lewiston, a traditional launching pad for western Maine office-seekers of all political stripes.

Accepting the conventional wisdom that holds that conservative Republicans outnumber moderates at the polls during primary elections, supporters of Woodcock believe their candidate will attract many GOP voters solely on the strength of his pro-life and anti-gay rights convictions.

“But those issues have stepped aside a little bit as people become more concerned about the economy and health care. In fact, I think health care has taken center stage,” Woodcock said. “It’s my intention to energize all people in all parts of the state on all issues including education, jobs and the economy.”

Woodcock insisted Monday that his position on the two litmus test issues for some Republicans is secondary to the need for comprehensive tax reform in Maine. Conceding that a Democrat-dominated state government will never be able deliver the level of spending cuts needed to make Maine an attractive state for business investment, Woodcock became the first GOP candidate to solidly throw his support behind the Taxpayer Bill of Rights, the referendum question that is currently the focus of a signature-gathering drive. If approved by the voters, the question would impose Colorado-style spending caps on government.

“While thousands of Maine families are feeling the pinch, it’s business as usual in Augusta,” Woodcock said. “The taxpayers of this state need real protection from many of the politicians and special interests in Augusta, which is why I support a Taxpayers Bill of Rights to put the brakes on out-of-control government spending. A constitutional spending cap makes more sense than ever.”

Woodcock was greeted by about 80 Republicans, many of them members of the Legislature, including House GOP leader David Bowles of Sanford and Senate GOP leader Paul Davis of Sangerville. He will oppose state Sen. Peter Mills of Cornville and Stephen Stimpson of Bangor. All three men plan to run publicly financed campaigns.

Davis said Woodcock’s working-class values and life experiences make him a man that most Mainers can identify with and respect.

“He’s a regular guy with an honest message, and he’s going to resonate with the voters,” Davis said.

Bob Stone, a Lewiston real estate broker and a 2004 GOP primary candidate for the 2nd Congressional District, said it was important for Woodcock to open his campaign in Lewiston, which long had been a Baldacci stronghold. He predicted a substantial showing for Woodcock in the Lewiston-Auburn area will be pivotal to determining the outcome of the campaign.

“This is where the race will be won or lost,” Stone said. “Angus King came in as a relative unknown and managed to get the endorsement of the heavily Democratic Lewiston City Council, and he went on to win twice. Baldacci won Lewiston with 85 percent of the vote in one of his congressional races, so if Woodcock can crack into that in the 38-to-45 percent range, he will do well statewide.”

To achieve that level of support, Woodcock will depend heavily on help from fellow GOP legislators who will be invaluable when building election committees in all of the state’s 16 counties. State Sen. Debra D. Plowman, R-Hampden, said Woodcock’s timing couldn’t have been better in the aftermath of the unexpected withdrawal this month of the party’s front-runner, Peter Cianchette of South Portland.

“The way it shook out, there were people who were kind of on the perch with Peter Cianchette, so Woodcock swept up some people who otherwise would have ultimately been committed, but didn’t see anything that they wanted right then and there when Peter dropped out,” Plowman said. “Now we have two very intelligent, personable state senators, men who can articulate what needs to be done really well. But it’s their positions on the social issues that will define their campaigns.”