LEWISTON – Lionel Guay strode easily into the mayor’s office Tuesday, garnering 76 percent of the vote.

“It was name recognition,” Guay said. “People know me from around the community. They know who I am and what I stand for. Basically, that’s what it is.”

Guay will assume the office in January.

Candidate Charles Soule garnered 7 percent of the vote. This is the fourth time Soule has run for mayor.

Newcomer Nathan McCarron said he was proud of his showing, pulling 17 percent of the vote.

“I had everything to gain and nothing to lose,” McCarron said. “I ran a positive campaign and brought some issues to the forefront. That’s all I wanted to do.”

McCarron said he didn’t begin putting up campaign signs until last week. Any votes he received came from candidate interviews and his showing at the Oct. 23 candidate forum, he said.

“I did have some people say they really like my ideas,” McCarron said. “It makes you want to puff out your chest and think good thoughts.”

Jackie Blondin of 103 Winter St. said that’s why she voted for him.

“He’s younger than anybody else, and I just liked his ideas better,” Blondin said.

But McCarron’s quiet campaign might have hurt him, according to David Hughes of 34 Howe St. Hughes voted for Guay.

“I live my entire life locally,” Hughes said. “I’m always around here, and he’s (Guay) the only one who contacted me. And anybody who can’t reach someone like me really isn’t trying.”

Name recognition was also a factor for a number of other voters. Rod Strout of 63 Bardwell St. said he voted for Guay because he recognized his name from advertisements. Clement Gervais of 7 Marion St. said he’d known Guay for a while.

“I know more or less what he stands for,” Gervais said. “I’m just not familiar with Soule or the other guy.”

Before the final vote tally Tuesday night, candidate Soule said he felt confidant.

“I’ve talked to the people here, and I think my message is getting through,” Soule said.

Ray Levesque, of 8 Heathwood Lane, said he understood Soule’s message and cast his vote for him.

“I think we need to go in a new direction in Lewiston, and I think he could do it,” Levesque said. “He represents a kind of a new start.”

McCarron admitted campaigning against Guay would have been tough no matter what either opponent did.

“It’s especially hard to compete against an established community fund-raiser,” McCarron said. “He has a group of supporters and they’re all the pillars of the community. It’s difficult to compete with that.”

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