Dropouts alter rosters for state Legislature

AUGUSTA – Nine candidates for the Maine Senate and 32 candidates for the Maine House of Representatives, according to a tally by state election officials, withdrew by Monday’s deadline for party hopefuls to drop out in time to allow replacements to step forward.

“Not insubstantial, but also not uncommon,” said Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap while the final list was being developed.

As roster juggling for state Democrats, Republicans and Greens continues, party organizations have two weeks, until 5 p.m. July 28, to select new candidates for vacated ballot slots.

The state election officials’ list Monday evening had two Democrats, five Republicans and two Greens dropping off the Senate candidate roster.

On the House side, there were 11 Democratic withdrawals, 16 Republicans dropping out and five Greens folding up their candidacies, according to the state election officials’ list.

While some candidates who filed to run originally may have been mere placeholders, Dunlap said others drop out for personal reasons.

“It’s a lot to do to run for office,” said Dunlap, a former House member.

In the current Legislature, which expires in December, Democrats hold 90 seats in the 151-member House, leaving Republicans with 59. There are two House independents. In the Senate, Democrats hold a 19-16 edge over Republicans due to a temporary GOP defection.

The full Legislature adjourned in April and is not scheduled to return, although Gov. John Baldacci and House and Senate leaders have not ruled out a special session sometime this summer or fall.

A Democratic winning streak in general elections for the House dates to 1974. Republicans have held the Senate outright for only one two-year period since the 1982 elections, although in 2000, statewide voting left the Senate split 17-17, with one independent.

In mid-March, marking the first candidate filing deadline, the House Democratic Campaign Committee announced that 162 Democrats had filed to run for the House, at least one in all 151 House districts. Republicans came up short in 11 House districts.

At that time, initial filings allowed Democrats and Republicans to cover all 35 Senate seats.

By the end of this month, the picture will have changed substantially, with full coverage in races for either legislative chamber no longer guaranteed.