Sen. Raye of District 29 pursuing re-election

PERRY – Republican state Sen. Kevin L. Raye of Perry announced this week that he will seek re-election to a third term in the Maine Senate, representing District 29.

The district includes all of Washington County; Eastbrook, Franklin, Great Pond, Osborn, Waltham and unorganized townships in eastern Hancock County; and Carroll, Drew, Lakeville, Prentiss and Whitney in Penobscot County.

“It is an honor to represent the people of Down East Maine in the state Senate. I’ve worked hard to be a strong and credible voice for our part of Maine and I want to carry on my efforts to fight for jobs, strengthen our economy, defend rural education and stand up for our elderly and our veterans,” Raye said in a statement.

Raye has decided not to accept taxpayer funding for his campaign this year. “I had initially intended to run under the state’s publicly funded campaign system but, given the budget crisis that resulted in cuts of nearly $200 million from the state budget this year, I have decided to lead by example,” Raye said.

Raye serves on the Legislature’s Health and Human Services Committee and said he played a key role in maintaining a safety net for Maine’s most vulnerable residents.

As the ranking Republican senator on the Government Oversight Committee, Raye said he worked to preserve the nonpartisan Office of Program Evaluation and Government Accountability, which has recommended millions of dollars in savings in state government. He is also a Senate member of the Maine Citizen Trade Policy Commission, which reviews the effect of international trade agreements on Maine.

A native of Eastport, Raye lives in Perry with his wife, Karen. They own and operate Raye’s Mustard Mill in Eastport, a 108-year-old family business.