AUGUSTA, Maine — Rep. Mike Perkins gained the Republican nomination in a Maine Senate district within the Waterville space after a Thursday ranked-choice voting rely.
Perkins narrowly prevailed in a three-way race, profitable 52.2 p.c of votes to 47.8 p.c for Kevin Kitchin of Fairfield after the ranked-choice rely overseen by Secretary of State Shenna Bellows’ workplace. Former legislative candidate Mark Andre of Oakland, who completed third within the first spherical of voting and was eradicated for the reallocation.
Of the 335 voters who ranked Andre first, solely 188 ranked second decisions. Perkins gained 76 of them, whereas Kitchin gained 112. That tightened the race relative to the primary spherical of voting, but it surely was nonetheless sufficient to push Perkins over the 50 p.c mark to win the election.
Perkins, who joined the Senate race after leaving the 2nd Congressional District major in December, will face former Waterville and Winslow Hearth Chief Dave LaFountain within the November election. LaFountain is a prime recruit for Democrats making an attempt to win the district they haven’t held since term-limited Sen. Scott Cyrway, R-Albion, defeated an incumbent in 2014.
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