Lewiston’s mayor decides not to seek a second term.

LEWISTON – Larry Raymond will not seek another term as mayor this fall, according to a written statement issued Tuesday.

Raymond, who ignited a controversy last fall with an open letter to Lewiston Somalis, said speculation regarding his plans for the mayor’s chair led him to announce his decision Tuesday.

Raymond was out of town on business Tuesday and unavailable for comment. He issued the statement through the city administrator’s office Tuesday afternoon.

“I think it’s unfortunate that he won’t be returning,” said City Councilor Renee Bernier, the City Council president. “He’s had a tough time, and he’s done a good job.”

Bernier presides over council meetings when Raymond is not there, and she said she’s had her fill of the job. She will not run for mayor, she said.

According to Raymond’s statement, he committed himself to a single term as mayor among his family and close friends when he was first elected.

“I am confident that I could be re-elected,” the statement reads. “However, I must focus on my full-time law practice, as I have no plans to retire.”

Raymond was elected to the job in 2001, defeating opponents Marc Mason and Charles Soule. Mason was elected last year to replace Paul Samson as Ward 5 City Councilor.

Raymond wrote an open letter to Lewiston Somalis last October, asking them to slow their migration to Lewiston and to pass the word among family and friends that Lewiston was maxed out emotionally and financially. The letter provoked an angry response from many people in the community, who saw the letter as bigoted.

Raymond said his letter wasn’t meant to insult or anger the Somalis but to call attention to the city’s financial status. At the time, more than 1,000 Somalis had moved to Lewiston in less than 18 months, and Raymond said that had put a strain on the city’s general assistance budget.

“To the many who have voiced their support, I wish to express my heartfelt thanks,” the statement reads. “I am committed to actively pursue my original goals for the remainder of my term which ends in December.”


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