Democrats sweep in Lewiston legislative races

LEWISTON — Democrats captured all five of the state legislative seats from Lewiston in Tuesday’s election, ousting a Republican incumbent in the process.

In a race for the new District 21 state Senate race, Democrat Peggy Rotundo rolled to an easy win over Republican challenger Rick LaChapelle, a city councilor, 7,713 to 5,472.

In the District 96 House race, former city Fire Chief Michel Lajoie, who has served in the Legislature and on the City Council in the past, knocked out GOP incumbent Jon Connor by a narrow margin, 2,156 to 2,036.

In the District 93 House race, incumbent Margaret Craven, a Democrat, had no trouble dispatching Republican challenger Bob McCarthy, a city councilor, 2,117 to 1,109.

Incumbent state Rep. Kristen Cloutier, a Democrat in District 94, beat Republican Janet Beaudoin, a member of the Lewiston School Committee, 1,809 to 1,209.

The District 95 contest for a state House seat saw Mana Abdi win unopposed to become the state’s first Somali American legislator.

The state Senate seat was up for grabs this year because Democrat Nate Libby could not seek reelection. Under state law, after four terms he could not run again for the seat.