There’s going to be a contested race for the district attorney position for Androscoggin, Franklin and Oxford counties.

In last month’s primary, since the Democrats did not have a candidate listed on the ballot, Ed Rabasco Jr. had to convince at least 300 people to write in his name in order to secure a place in the Nov. 8 general election.

It turns out that he got 1,019, more than triple the number required, despite starting his campaign less than three weeks before the primary.

“It is an incredible result,” Rabasco said, and means that in November, his backers “will only need to fill in the oval” on their ballots instead of carefully printing out his name.

Rabasco, who is a resident of Poland and a longtime private practice attorney in Lewiston, is seeking to become the chief prosecutor for a tri-county district that twice elected Democrat Andrew Robinson to the post. Robinson, though, resigned early this year to become a state judge appointed by Gov. Janet Mills and confirmed by the Legislature. Alexandra Winter has been the acting district attorney since Robinson’s departure.

Rabasco will face Republican Neil McLean in the general election.

Elaine Makas, chair of the Androscoggin County Democratic Committee, said in a prepared statement endorsed by Lynn Ouellette and Don Berry, who chair the Franklin and Oxford County Democratic committees, that Rabasco had the backing of each of the party panels.

She said the number of write-ins that Rabasco received was proportional across the counties, “clearly demonstrating that Rabasco’s proven abilities and high standards are known and respected beyond the county in which he lives and works.”

Rabasco said he is grateful for the show of confidence by Democratic voters last month.

“I am very appreciative of the support I received in the primary election, and I pledge that, if elected in November, I will work diligently to represent all of the people in this tri-county district, regardless of their political affiliation,” he said.

Rabasco grew up in Auburn and has lived in Poland since 1998, where he serves as a member of the Regional School Unit 16 board of directors. He is a past chairman of Lewiston’s Planning Board.

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