AUBURN – Republican Walter Crites III of Auburn was on the November ballot challenging incumbent Rep. Sonya Sampson, D-Auburn.

Lewiston Republicans F. Vincent Blais, Andrew Simon and Larry Caron were challenging Democrat Reps. William Walcott, Lillian O’Brien and Margaret Craven, respectively.

By July 12, Crites, Blais, Simon and Caron had dropped out, leaving local party officials scrambling to find replacement candidates. Their deadline is 5 p.m. Monday.

Statewide, 41 State House candidates – 23 Republicans, 14 Democrats and four Greens – have quit the race before the election. Considering there are 151 House and 35 Senate races, 41 dropouts is normal or a bit high, Deputy of Secretary of State Julie Flynn observed. Two years ago there were 54 dropout candidates; in 2000 there were 35.

Candidates quit for a number of reasons, said local Republicans Barry Putnam and Georgia Chomas. Common reasons include change in careers, health or family. Some early candidates are “place holders” – someone who agrees to put their name on the ballot until the party can find a serious candidate.

Simon, who was to challenge O’Brien, is a recent Bates College graduate who just accepted a job with the Republican Party in Portland, a good career opportunity for him, Chomas said. “He didn’t feel good about working in Portland and representing Lewiston,” Putnam said.

Crites withdrew because his new job will mean he’ll have to be out of state next year, Chomas said. “He very much wanted to run and was an excellent candidate.” Job commitment also prompted Caron to opt out, and Blais stepped down for personal reasons, Putnam said. Between January – when many decide to run – and July, a certain number leave because their lives change, observers said, adding it’s not easy to balance work and serve in the Legislature. “It’s time-consuming,” Chomas said.

Another candidate bowing out is House Speaker Patrick Colwell, D-Gardiner, who was seeking a Senate seat. Going through a divorce, Colwell said he does not have time to campaign and serve. Rep. Scott Cowger, D-Hallowell, is taking Colwell’s place as the Senate candidate. Meanwhile on Mount Desert Island, Republican Merle Cousins Jr. dropped out and is being replaced by Caspar Weinberger Jr., son of the former secretary of defense for President Ronald Reagan. “We’re ecstatic about him running,” said Dwayne Bickford, executive director of the Maine Republican Party.

By Monday Bickford hopes to have Republican candidates in all Senate races, and 149 out of the 151 House races. “Several years ago we only had 137 House candidates,” Bickford said. “We’re heartened that people are coming forward to run.” Frustrated, people want property tax reform, Bickford said. “That’s the biggest thing motivating our candidates to run.”

Chris Harris of the Democratic Party of Maine said he expects to have candidates for all Senate races and all but two House races. Democrats have been caucusing throughout Maine trying to fill the 11 vacancies by the Monday deadline, Harris said.

The Green Independent Party had 23 State House candidates running and, with four dropping out, now has 19. “We went into this election knowing we would have a certain attrition rate for this or that reason,” said party co-chair Heather Garrold. Garrold expects her party to have two replacement candidates by Monday.

Last Thursday, Auburn Republicans met and nominated Guy R. Carrier to replace Crites as their candidate. Other replacements will be Meesa Jones challenging Walcott, and John L. Painter challenging Craven. “We’re still looking for a candidate for District 73” to compete against O’Brien, Putnam said.