With Rep. Tom Allen leaving the 1st Congressional District seat after six terms to challenge Sen. Susan Collins, heated primary campaigns are under way as Democrats and Republicans prepare to fight for the open seat. The commonly held perception is that the Southern Maine district tilts heavily toward Democrats. Yet the 14 elections preceding Rep. Allen’s first win in 1996 were split evenly between Republicans and Democrats. Still, it’s safe to say the demographics of the region skew toward more liberal voters; the 1st District has voted for Democratic presidential candidates in each of the past four contests. The district comprises York, Cumberland, Sagadahoc, Lincoln and Knox counties and most of Kennebec County.

On the Democratic side, four of the six candidates are State House veterans: Michael Brennan, Mark Lawrence and Chellie Pingree, each former state senators, and Ethan Strimling, a current senator. The field includes Adam Cote, a lawyer with an energy focus and Iraq War veteran who has never held elective office, and Steve Meister, also a political neophyte who is a physician and veteran of the 1991 Gulf War.

On the Republican side are Charlie Summers, who ran unsuccessfully against Rep. Allen in 2004, and Dean Scontras, another newcomer to politics. Mr. Summers has been unable to run a vigorous campaign because for most of this year he has been stationed in Iraq, where he served as a communications officer as a member of the Navy Reserve. Mr. Scontras has worked in the private sector technology field.

This may be the year of change, favoring outsiders, but the 1st District and Maine would be well-served by someone who knows how to make the legislative process work and how to maximize clout for a small state.

Among the field of Democrats, Mr. Lawrence served as Senate president, and Sen. Strimling is seen as a rising star in Augusta, so each would bring legislative prowess to the post. Mr. Cote’s energy expertise would be useful as Maine and the nation face unprecedented challenges in this area. Ms. Pingree has both extensive legislative leadership experience in the Maine Senate, and experience in Washington D.C., where she ran the lobbying group Common Cause. She also ran a small business on North Haven.

For the GOP, Mr. Summers also has State House experience, serving as a senator for four years, and he learned the ropes in the nation’s capital while working for Sen. Olympia Snowe and for the Small Business Administration. He also has owned and operated businesses. Mr. Scontras opposes gay marriage and abortion, winning him favor from his party’s core voters. Mr. Summers’ views on social issues are more moderate than his opponent’s, which would put him more in line with the views of district residents.

To view and compare some of the candidates’ responses to questions from BDN readers visit http://clickback.bangornews.com.

In Maine, if a statewide office holder survives the first re-election challenge, he or she can count on a long tenure in office, so choosing well in Tuesday’s primaries is important.