RUMFORD — Rep. Gary Knight of Livermore Falls, the Republican nominee for Senate District 18, has withdrawn from the race.
Republicans from Oxford and Androscoggin counties will hold a special caucus to select a replacement at 6 p.m. Wednesday, July 9, at the Rumford Grange, 1362 U.S. Route 2.
Knight was nominated in an uncontested primary on June 10.
The newly apportioned Senate District 18 is comprised of Livermore, Livermore Falls, Andover, Bethel, Buckfield, Byron, Canton, Dixfield, Gilead, Greenwood, Hanover, Hartford, Hebron, Lincoln Plantation, Lovell, Magalloway Plantation, Mexico, Milton Township, Newry, North Oxford Unorganized Territories, Peru, Roxbury, Rumford, South Oxford Unorganized Territories, Stoneham, Stow, Sumner, Sweden, Upton, Waterford, West Paris and Woodstock.
According to Maine Republican State Party rules, all enrolled Republicans in District 18 towns who caucused and organized earlier this year are eligible to participate and vote in the special caucus, Tim Turner, chairman of the Oxford County Republican Committee, said in a press release.
All the towns in the district are eligible with the exception of Byron, Canton, Dixfield, Gilead, Greenwood, Hartford, Lincoln Plantation, Lovell, Magalloway Plantation, Mexico, Peru, Roxbury, Stoneham, Stow, Sumner, Sweden and Upton, since their town Republican Committees have not held an organizational meeting this year. If an organizational meeting is held before Wednesday’s caucus, then Republicans from those towns will be eligible to participate in the special nominating caucus.
Joseph Martin of Rumford is the only declared candidate interested in seeking the nomination.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
