LEWISTON – He’s in, he’s out … he’s back in again?

State Senate candidate Republican Corey Troup, 34, of Lewiston replaced himself on the fall ballot, having withdrawn on July 14, only to file to get back on July 28, according to state records. The deadline for replacement candidates was July 28.

“It’s allowed,” said Melissa Packard, Maine’s director of elections. “It’s not common, but it happens from time to time.”

Packard said in cases of withdrawn candidates her office notifies the local political party officials so they can solicit replacements.

Troup said he withdrew his candidacy because members of the local Republican party approached him with a more qualified candidate.

“His resume dwarfed any experience I had and only pure ego would have allowed me to continue (my candidacy),” Troup said, so he withdrew on July 14.

But the ‘super-candidate’ balked at running, so the local Republicans again approached Troup, this time to resume the candidacy, which he accepted.

Rep. Scott Lansley of Sabattus, the Androscoggin County Republican Committee chairman, said Troup was willing to come back on board so the Republicans voted him back during a caucus last Sunday.

Both Troup and Lansley declined to name the candidate who was supposed replace Troup. “It’s politically sensitive,” said Lansley.

Troup, who first filed his candidacy with the state on March 17, is a privately financed candidate who has raised no money for his campaign to date, according to state records. He is running for the state Senate seat in District 16, vacated by Sen. Peggy Rotundo, D-Lewiston, who had served the maximum number of terms allowed by law.

In the days leading up to the June 10 primary, rumors swirled locally that Troup had dropped out, based on his absence from the Maine Republican Party convention. Troup said the evening of June 10 that he had maintained his candidacy but would make a decision about whether or not to continue it based on the primary results. Troup was running unopposed in the primary, but Democrats Margaret Craven, Paul Madore and Elaine Makas were embroiled in a three-way bid for their party’s spot on the fall ticket.

Craven said she was “very curious” about her fall opponent.

“I’ve never met him, never seen him and never spoken to him,” she said. “But I’m glad he’s back in the race.”

Craven said it’s good for the voters to have people competing to represent them.

Three other local races featured shake-ups by the July 28 deadline.

State Rep. Richard Cebra, R-Naples, was slated to face Democrat Peter Powers of Naples and Green Independent candidate Ruth Dean of Casco, on the Nov. 4 ballot. Powers withdrew on June 23 and Dean on July 14. Powers was replaced as the Democratic candidate by James Kranin on July 16; Dean was not replaced by the Greens.

Lewiston Democrat Mike Lajoie, who defeated Lewiston Mayor Larry Gilbert in the primary, appears to have no opposition in his bid to replace out-going Rep. Elaine Makas. Lajoie’s opponent, Republican John Babine, dropped out July 14 and no replacement candidate filed by the deadline, according to state records.

Lansley said the local Republican party had nominated Frank Corrao of Lewiston to replace Babine, but the application was under review by the state.

Don Cookson, spokesman for the Maine Secretary of State’s office, said officials are looking at Corrao’s paperwork and should make a decision Wednesday.

“There’s a question regarding the content of the application,” Cookson said.

Rep. Nancy Smith, D-Monmouth, will be unopposed on the ballot. Her former opponent, Republican George Rawlings Thomson of Litchfield, withdrew July 15 and was not eligible for replacement because of the timing of his withdrawal.

Packard said state officials are working on compiling a final, complete list of candidates for the fall election and it should be available by the end of the week.