AUGUSTA (AP) – Both of Maine’s major political parties will feature contested gubernatorial primaries in June, and all of the candidates for major offices will face competition in the fall, papers filed Wednesday with state election officials show.
Wednesday was the deadline for party-affiliated candidates to file nominating petitions with the Secretary of State’s office, making them eligible to appear on the June 13 primary ballot.
Democratic Gov. John Baldacci, who is seeking a second term, will have a primary challenger in Christopher Miller of Gray, who filed his petitions before the 5 p.m. deadline. Republicans Peter Mills, Chandler Woodcock and David Emery had all turned in their petitions prior to Wednesday, assuring a competitive GOP primary.
Mills, of Cornville, and Woodcock, of Farmington, are both state senators. Emery, of St. George, is a former 1st District congressman who remains active in state politics.
Pat LaMarche, a Green Independent from Yarmouth who has run for governor previously, filed her papers Wednesday as well.
In the race for Maine’s U.S. Senate seat, now held by Republican Olympia Snowe, two Democrats appear to be headed for a primary contest. Jean Hay Bright of Dixmont and Eric Mehnert of Orono both filed their petitions, as did Snowe.
In Maine’s two congressional races, both incumbent Democrats, Tom Allen and Michael Michaud, filed and will be unopposed in their primaries, as will the GOP challengers.
In the 1st District, Darlene Curley of Scarborough filed as a Republican candidate and stands to face Allen in November. In the 2nd District, Scott D’Amboise of Lisbon Falls filed as a Republican candidate, giving Michaud competition in the fall.
Gubernatorial and U.S. Senate candidates had to turn in at least 2,000 valid signatures by the end of business Wednesday in order to get their names on the June primary ballot. Candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives had to turn in at least 1,000 signatures.
Independent candidates have until June 1 to file petitions to get their names on the November general election ballot.
State Senate candidates need at least 100 signatures, and House candidates need a minimum of 25 signatures.
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