A look at the races and who is running in the upcoming June 11 legislative primaries

Members of the Maine House of Representatives during the first session of 2024 in the State House in Augusta. (Jim Neuger/ Maine Morning Star)

Every seat in the Maine Legislature is up for grabs in November, but some races need to be narrowed before then. 

On June 11, there will be primary elections for 17 legislative seats, according to data from the Bureau of Corporations, Elections and Commission. Five of them will be for Maine Senate seats and the rest for the state House of Representatives.  

Winners of these Republican and Democratic races will advance to the November general election, which will also feature races for the U.S. presidency, every seat in the U.S. House of Representatives and several U.S. Senate spots. 

Voters in Maine’s 2nd Congressional District will also be deciding the Republican candidate for the U.S. House race against incumbent Democratic Jared Golden. 

The primary election is reserved for those voters who are enrolled in the Democratic, Republican and Green Independent parties, as well as those who are unenrolled. Voters enrolled in other parties may not participate in legislative primaries, though they can vote in county and other local races. 

Maine Senate

For District 10 in Penobscot County, there will be a Republican primary with incumbent Peter Lyford facing David Haggan, who has served four terms in the Maine House. 

Two Republicans will also go toe-to-toe for District 16 in Kennebec County. Scott Cyrway, who previously served four terms in the Senate and is currently a member of the House, will face Michael Perkins from Oakland. The winner of that race will go on to face Democratic incumbent David LaFountain. 

In Oxford County, Republicans David Duguay and Joseph Martin will compete for outgoing senator Lisa Keim’s seat in District 19. Keim, also a Republican, has reached her four-consecutive-term limit and is running for Oxford County Commissioner. 

With Democratic Senate Majority Leader Eloise Vitelli also unable to run again due to term constraints, Democrats Jean Guzzetti and Denise Tepler, the current state representative from Topsham, will square off for District 24 in Sagadahoc County. 

Democratic incumbent Jill Duson will face challenger Kenneth Capron for District 27 in Cumberland County. 

Maine House of Representatives

There are six Republican primaries for seats in the Maine House. They include Districts 13 (Ellsworth), 52 (Bowdoinham), 78 (Rumford), 96 (Lewiston), 98 (Durham) and 122 (South Portland). 

Incumbent Rachel Henderson will be defending her seat in District 78 against challenger Nathan White. And in District 98, incumbent Joseph Galletta will face Guy Lebida.

The winners of Districts 13, 52 and 122 will go on to face Democratic incumbents for those seats. Michel Lajoie, a Democrat, is not running again for his seat in Lewiston. 

For House Democratic primaries, incumbent Joe Perry will face challenger Zachary Smith for District 24 in Bangor. Another incumbent, Bruce White, will defend his seat representing District 65 in Waterville against Cassie Julia. 

With Colleen Madigan termed out of District 64, Flavia DeBrito and Andrew Dent will vie for the open seat to represent Waterville. In District 109, James Boyle is not running to represent Gorham again, so it will be a toss up between Democrats Eleanor Sato and Seven Siegel.

There will also be two Democratic candidates listed for District 96 in Lewiston; however, Leigh Albert has technically withdrawn from the race. Per state statute, a candidate’s name will still appear on the ballot if they withdraw less than 70 days before the primary election.

Speaker of the House Rachel Talbot Ross is chasing a seat in the Senate, but she’s leaving a crowded race for District 118 in her wake. Three Democratic candidates are after the seat to represent Portland, including Yusuf Yusuf, Herbert Adams and Ben Chipman, who previously served in the House but has spent the last four terms representing this district in the Senate.

Three Democrats are also looking to replace Rebecca Millett, who is not running again to represent District 123 in Cape Elizabeth. This primary will be between Michelle Boyer, Cynthia Dill and Kimberly Monaghan. Both Dill and Monaghan have previously held this seat.

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