By American Staff
ELLSWORTH—The turnout was robust, the races were lively and
the results were a long time coming Tuesday night.
On the county level, it was a pretty good day for incumbents.
State Rep. Eddie Povich, D-Ellsworth, withstood the efforts of
Steve Joy of Ellsworth for the privilege of representing
District 127.
The incumbent candidates on the Ellsworth City Council—Jonathan
Mahon and Robert Crosthwaite—weathered challenges by Edward
Grohoski and Gregory Lounder.
And incumbent County Commissioner Dennis Damon of Trenton
outpolled Ben C. "Lee" Worcester III of Southwest
Harbor.
Two new candidates were duking it out for the County
Commission seat formerly held by Walter Bunker of Ellsworth, and
Republican candidate Kenneth Shea of Ellsworth beat out his
Democratic opponent, James Wagner of Sorrento.
Elsewhere in Hancock County, incumbent legislators variously
squeaked by or rolled over their opponents.
Rep. Richard Rosen, R-Bucksport, buried Democratic challenger
Linda Bennett-Catlow of Bucksport by a more than 2-to-1 margin
in the quest for the District 113 seat.
In District 128, Rep. Royce Perkins, R-Penobscot, held onto
his seat despite a challenge from Democrat James Schatz of Blue
Hill. Perkins won by more than 1,000 votes. In District 132,
Rep. William Pinkham, R-Lamoine, maintained a commanding lead to
overcome Democratic challenger Pat Wallace of Lamoine.
Rep. Ed Dugay, D-Cherryfield, is headed back for another term
in District 131, defeating Willard Kelley Jr.
Republican Clare Grindal of Sedgwick tried but failed to oust
state Represetative Paul Volenik, D-Brooklin, in District 129,
but the race was close, with only about 100 votes separating the
winner from the loser.
Not all incumbents fared so well, however.
On Mount Desert Island, the day went to the challenger.
Democrat Ted Koffman unseated incumbent Rep. Robert Stanwood,
R-Southwest Harbor, by about 160 votes. There were three
contenders in that race, but Libertarian candidate Robert
Coolidge garnered only a few hundred votes.
Democrat George Bunker Jr., who was ousted from the District
136 seat by Rep. Barry Gillis, R-Danforth, two years ago, won
back his old seat by a slim margin.
In the state Senate race, incumbent Jill Goldthwait,
I-Hancock County, held off both Republican Sumner Lymburner and
Libertarian R. Davis Hart handily in District 5, but Sen.
Richard Ruhlin, D-Penobscot, was toppled by Republican Edward
Youngblood in Senate District 6.
On the national level, Republican Senator Olympia Snowe won a
resounding victory over challenger Mark Lawrence, president of
the Maine Senate. U.S. Representative John Baldacci, a Democrat,
was also re-elected after soundly defeating state Rep. Richard
Campbell, R-Holden.
