LEWISTON – Sheriff Ronald Gagnon is mounting a write-in campaign in hopes of overcoming his narrow defeat in the June primary with a win Nov. 7.

“I’ve received literally hundreds of calls,” Gagnon said Thursday, pleas for him to re-enter the sheriff’s race against his former chief deputy, Guy Desjardins.

“I know it’s a long shot,” Gagnon said. “We’ve got to give it a shot.”

The first election between the two men, candidates for the Democratic nomination, ended with a recount. Volunteers spent about six hours sorting, stacking and bundling 4,519 ballots from Androscoggin County’s 14 towns. When it was over, Desjardins finished 43 votes ahead.

Immediately after the recount, Gagnon conceded. However, in the last three months, as people called his office and his home and praised him for 21 years as sheriff, Gagnon said he reconsidered.

“They’d say ‘You’ve done a great job,'” he said. “I have to try.”

Desjardins said Thursday that he has been running a vigorous, seven-days-a-week campaign since the start. Gagnon’s announcement won’t change that, he said.

“We’re going to do what we’ve always done, and that’s talk with people,” Desjardins said. “I don’t take anything for granted.”

Desjardins also has been putting up signs, something Gagnon plans to do.

“I’m advertising and handing out brochures,” Gagnon said. He plans to go door to door, as well.

Part of his message will be the need for the ballot to be filled out properly.

It’ll need to read, ‘Ron Gagnon, Lisbon,” he said.

Desjardins, who lives in Sabattus, served as the county’s chief deputy from 1995 until the start of 2006. Gagnon, who lives in Lisbon Falls, has served as sheriff since 1985, when he was appointed by Gov. Joseph Brennan.

The candidates have been friends for more than 20 years.