State Rep. David Haggan, a longtime teacher at Hampden Academy, ousted state Sen. Peter Lyford in a Tuesday primary between two similar conservatives.
Their race was notable for being the only one of the 17 contested legislative primaries this year pitting two lawmakers against one another. Haggan was barred by term limits from holding his House seat. His wife, Kimberly, ran in an uncontested primary to succeed him in the House.
With two towns in the district not reporting to the Bangor Daily News as of midnight, Haggan won 54.2 percent of votes to 45.8 percent for Lyford, who lives in Eddington and served four House terms before winning his seat in 2022. The Republican-leaning district will see a November contest between Haggan and Democrat Michele Daniels, a Brewer city councilor.
There was no vitriol between the candidates. Haggan told the conservative Maine Wire that he only decided to run after Lyford told him he would not run for a second Senate term. Lyford responded by saying he didn’t remember saying that but that he probably did. He decided to run after Senate leaders solved a conflict involving his committee assignments.
For Republicans, there were eight other contested primaries on Tuesday.
— The only Republican lawmaker ousted was Rep. Joseph Galletta, R-Durham, who was recently singled out by the Portland Press Herald for missing two-thirds of the Legislature’s days this year. Conservative activist Guy Lebida of Bowdoin beat him with 54 percent of votes.
— In the Waterville area, Rep. Scott Cyrway of Albion beat former Rep. Michael Perkins of Oakland with 59.2 percent of votes. Cyrway held the seat for four terms before switching chambers due to term limits. Perkins lost to Sen. Dave LaFountain, D-Winslow, in the 2022 election.
— In northern Oxford County, the race between longtime Oxford County Commissioner Dave Duguay and Joe Martin, the chair of the county Republicans, was too close to call around midnight. Martin had 51.7 percent of votes to 48.3 percent for Duguay with 13 communities yet to report. They are trying to replace Assistant Senate Minority Leader Lisa Keim, R-Dixfield, who was prevented by term limits from running again in a district that has swung heavily toward Republicans in recent years. Democrats have a good recruit in former Sen. Bruce Bryant of Dixfield, who represented the area from 2002 to 2010.
— In Lewiston, Lee Clement, a former Lewiston City Council president, beat Joseph Velozo for the chance to take on Democratic candidate David Projansky in November. The seat is open due to Rep. Michel Lajoie, a Democrat, not seeking reelection.
— Republican Russell White, an Air Force veteran, beat Cheryl Hewes for the chance to take on Rep. Mark Worth, D-Ellsworth.
