By Christopher Williams,Staff Writer

LEWISTON – State Sen. Chandler Woodcock made the hour-long trip Monday morning from his Farmington home to Simones’ Famous Hot Dog Stand restaurant.

He didn’t come to peruse the menu.

Surrounded by family and political supporters, Woodcock announced his bid for governor. The three-term senator is hoping to capture the Republican nomination in a three-way (so far) race to go head-to-head with Gov. John Baldacci a year from now.

The small downtown diner is a traditional campaign stop for candidates seeking political office ranging from City Council to president. Baldacci, a Democrat, dropped in the day after he won election in 2002. His eatery is an equal opportunity stumping grounds, said owner Jimmy Simones.

A retired high school school teacher and coach, Woodcock stressed twin themes of education and health care as the main planks of his campaign platform.

Maine voters “want leadership that hears people, leadership that respects the will of the voters,” he said.

In his first official stump speech, Woodcock took aim at Baldacci, saying he has ignored the electorate.

Baldacci has not improved the economy, made health care affordable nor relieved the tax burden for Mainers, issues that mean the most to voters and that Baldacci promised to improve four years ago, Woodcock said.

If elected, Woodcock said he would press for a constitutional spending cap to gain better control of the state budget. He also would propose elimination of the business tax on new equipment to make Maine more business-friendly, he said.

Woodcock said greater competition among health insurers would help drive down premiums.

After his speech, Woodcock said Baldacci’s state-subsidized health insurance program aimed at small businesses was a flop, not meeting its enrollment goals for uninsured workers.

Health care was on the mind of a 40-year-old Lewiston man who attended the announcement.

Bruce Boutilier said he planned to vote for Woodcock because he does what he says he’ll do. At least he did two decades ago. Woodcock taught Boutilier’s high school English class.

“He’s a man with great convictions,” said Boutilier, who is recovering from kidney cancer. He said he planned to talk to his former teacher about flaws in MaineCare, the state’s Medicaid program.

Vicki Webster of Farmington is a secretary in her husband’s small heating business.

“We’re blue-collar people struggling to make ends meet,” she said.

She criticized Baldacci for doing what he said he wouldn’t do, for instance raising taxes (such as a cigarette tax increase) or passing a gay rights law without voter approval.

Woodcock, she said, “is a man or honor.”

A retired teacher who taught for more than 25 years, Woodcock said the state should shoulder a greater burden of the cost of public education but leave curriculum and assessment decisions to local school boards. He predicted a recent requirement that high school juniors take the SAT would be regrettable, saying the test is not a good gauge of what students have learned.

Woodcock, who served in Senate leadership his second term, was endorsed Monday by two Republican heavyweights. Both Senate Minority Leader Paul Davis of Sangerville and former Senate President Rick Bennett of Norway introduced Woodcock.

Declared Republican gubernatorial candidates include Sen. Peter Mills of Cornville and Stephen Stimpson or Bangor. Three other candidates who’ve filed with the state have not declared a party affiliation.

Peter Cianchette, Republican gubernatorial nominee in 2002, dropped out of the race earlier this month, citing family reasons.

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