BUCKFIELD — Incumbent state Rep. Terry Hayes, 52, fended off Republican challenger and political newcomer Republican Ryan E. Lorrain, 22, winning her state House Dist. 94 seat back in a tight race.

Unofficial results show Hayes the winner by 110 votes earning a total 2,120 to Lorrain’s 2,010.

Lorrain conceded the race Wednesday saying, “That’s pretty close against a two-term incumbent and not too bad.”

Lorrain said he would stay involved in GOP politics in Maine going forward.

“I’m only 22 right now and I have plenty of time ahead of me,” he said.

Hayes carried three of the four towns in the district with only the town of Paris going for the challenger.

As a Democratic incumbent returning to a state Legislature looking to be controlled by a new Republican majority Hayes said her first reaction to the shifting majority was of “some fascination.”

“It’s a significant sea change,” Hayes said during a brief phone conversation. “This is not a position I anticipated.” During her first two terms Hayes was part of a Democratic majority that controlled the House by decisive margins.

“Our challenge is going to be to continue to serve our constituents with grace and civility and that’s what I hope to do,” she said.

She also congratulated Lorrain on running a civil campaign.

“He was a gentleman as an opponent,” Hayes said.

Hayes told the Sun Journal recently that if returned to her House seat, her priority in working with the 125th Legislature will be to implement the necessary spending cuts to balance the state budget while protecting the most “vulnerable” residents.

While she said she would not refuse to raise taxes under any circumstance, she said she would prefer to prioritize state government services and functions and focus spending cuts on lower priority items.

Hayes said she would try to encourage reduction of costs at the state government level by “doing less” and redesigning essential government services, like technology to reduce costs systematically.

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