By David Farmer,Staff Writer
Former energy executive, bar owner and pilot run for the Republican nomination

LEWISTON – The three-way race for the Republican nomination in House District 91 pits two neighbors from Bethel against a retired energy executive from Rangeley.

Nancy Bessey, 52, retired from Exelon Corp., one of the country’s largest utility companies, in 1999, when she moved to Rangeley full time. She’s had a varied career that includes owning a NASCAR Winston Cup racing team and being the sponsor of an Indy Racing League Championship team and winner of the Indy 500, and coaching basketball at Rangeley Middle School.

Mark Egeberg, 38, is a pilot for American Eagle out of Boston. When he’s not flying, he runs a ski tuning business in Bethel where he lives and is a contractor, doing carpentry and masonry and other small jobs. He moved to Maine in 2001.

Harry Faulkner, 62, is a retired businessman and the former owner of The Backstage Lounge bar and restaurant in Bethel. He sold the business last March after 18 years.

The 91st District is enormous and features small pockets of voters scattered in both Franklin and Oxford counties. It runs from Kingfield in the east to the New Hampshire border and from Stoneham and Bethel in the south to Eustis and North Franklin Township in the north.

The big population clusters are in Bethel, Kingfield, Rangeley and Woodstock, which are as much as two hours apart by car.

The three have fiscal views and concentrate their policy appeal on what they consider the state’s high tax burden and unfriendly business climate.

But when it comes to other issues, Bessey and Faulkner have more developed policy positions, while Egeberg said on several topics that he either needed more information or wouldn’t comment.

“I don’t really know enough about (the Taxpayer Bill of Rights) to make a decision,” Egeberg said. “I like elements of it, but on the local level people tell me that it would be trouble. I like the idea of it, but on the specifics of it I’m not sure.”

Egeberg also said, however, that he supported sending tax and spending issues to voters to decide, an element of TABOR.

On abortion, Egeberg said that he hadn’t taken a position, although he did say that the procedure shouldn’t be used as birth control. And on the question of gay marriage, he said he didn’t have a comment.

Bessey described herself as pro-life, while saying that exceptions for cases of rape, incest or to protect the health of the women were justified. But she also said that she didn’t think that abortion should be outlawed or that it’s appropriate as a form of birth control.

Faulkner offered more traditional answers to the questions on social policy. He said he’s pro-life and opposed to gay marriage.

Both Bessey and Faulkner said they support TABOR and its limits on spending and revenue growth.

On other economic issues, however, there’s barely light between the three.

“The way the state nickel and dimes you,” Egeberg said, “it’s difficult to get a business started.”

Bessey agreed, “I hate to be this negative, but this is the worst (business climate) I’ve seen. In the first year of my business, I had more people auditing me than I had working for me.”

“It’s come a time when we have to look at each other and say it’s enough,” Faulkner said about government spending. “I’m concerned about the tax situation in Maine, the business climate in Maine and the entire direction that the state of Maine is heading.”

He also called Dirigo Health, Gov. John Baldacci’s plan for providing universal health insurance, absurd. “We’ve got more than $53 million invested and only a few thousand enrolled.”

In 2004, Egeberg wrote a letter complaining about the noise, illegal parking and drunk and disorderly patrons associated with Faulkner’s Backstage Lounge. The letter was considered when the establishment’s liquor license was reviewed, but did not prevent the license from being granted by a unanimous vote by Bethel selectmen.

Faulkner called the letter old business that has nothing to do with the campaign.

Emergency surgery sidetracked Faulkner two weeks shy of the primary, taking him off the campaign trail at a crucial time. After a few days in the hospital, he said, he’s OK now and ready for the primary and the general election in the fall.

The three hope to represent the Republican Party for the open seat vacated by Republican Arlan Jodrey, of Bethel, who was forced from office by term limits after serving eight years in the House.

Waiting for the eventual nominee is Democrat Timothy Carter, his party’s candidate in 2004 when he came within 56 votes of unseating the incumbent.

The primary is June 13.