AUGUSTA — Questions over the shape of a legislative race in Waldo County have arisen after the Democratic candidate, incumbent Rep. Brian Jones of Freedom, was arrested Monday on an indecent conduct charge. Jones is seeking treatment for alcoholism.
Jones was arrested Monday night after a state trooper allegedly found him having sex with a Sabattus woman, who was not his wife, in a parked van at the West Gardiner Park & Ride lot. Jones was taken to Kennebec County Jail for the night, and he was charged with indecent conduct and refusing to give his correct name.
Jones is married and has three adult children. In a statement released Tuesday, Jones attributed his behavior to his “long-term struggle with alcoholism,” which he described as a challenge for both himself and his family. He said he knew his actions would be a “cause for concern” among his constituents.
House Republican Leader Ken Fredette of Newport said his first concern was for Jones’ health and family, and that the decision on whether to continue to seek re-election belongs to the candidate alone.
However, Fredette said that given Jones’ admission to alcoholism, withdrawal from the race might be the wisest decision.
“It certainly seems as though he has a lot of issues which he should be addressing,” Fredette said Wednesday. “It might be in the best interest of his constituents that he not be a candidate for the Legislature in 2016. I think that’s what’s best for him, and for his constituents.
“I wish him well in terms of dealing with those personal issues, but I do think the job of governing is a tough one, even in the best of circumstances,” Fredette said.
Mark Dion, a lawyer and former Cumberland County sheriff who represents a Portland district in the Maine House, is Jones’ attorney. He said Wednesday that Jones had signed himself into a rehabilitation clinic after being released from jail on Tuesday. Dion would not comment on whether Jones would — or should — drop out of the race.
Jones is an adjunct math and statistics instructor at Unity College and New England School of Communications. He is the Democratic Party’s candidate for House District 99, which includes the Waldo County towns of Brooks, Burnham, Freedom, Jackson, Knox, Monroe, Thorndike, Troy and Unity.
He was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2012. Since then, Jones has gained a reputation as a maverick, sometimes questioning his party’s leadership and frequently questioning authority in his remarks during House floor debate.
Thanks to legislative redistricting, the makeup of Jones’ district has changed this year. The towns of Montville and Palermo were cut, and Brooks, Monroe and Jackson were added.
On paper, Jones’ district favors the Republicans; 30 percent of registered voters are members of the GOP, compared to just 24 percent who are Democrats. Unenrolled voters, however, outnumber either party with 40 percent. The remaining 6 percent are registered as Green Independents.
Regardless of voter registration, Jones’ district has elected Democrats in four of the last five elections. The only Republican to win the seat in the last decade, Ryan Harmon of Palermo, won during the GOP wave in 2010.
Jones defeated Harmon by just 31 votes in 2012, and Republicans had already targeted his district as a potential swing this election year, making his arrest even more of a political liability. However, his Republican opponent, MaryAnne Kinney of Knox, has said Jones’ arrest and personal issues are none of her business. She said she considers him a friend and did not intend to criticize Jones during her campaign.
Ben Grant, chairman of the Maine Democratic Party, said he was not going to speculate on any potential political fallout in the district.
“The last thing we’re worried about right now is politics,” Grant said in a written statement. “This is a personal matter, and we are supportive of Rep. Jones’ family during this difficult time.”
Waldo County Democratic Party Chairman Neal Harkness said Wednesday that he knows Jones well, and he has admired and supported him in his teaching career and public service.
“He’s someone who’s really been dedicated to giving to others,” Harkness said. As to whether Jones would consider withdrawing, he said it’s unlikely.
“He’s somebody that doesn’t back down,” Harkness said. “He’s definitely a fighter. I think that unless there’s a compelling reason, like some medical reason, he’ll want to continue to run once he gets things straightened out.”
The deadline for candidate withdrawals has already passed, meaning that if Jones withdrew, his name would still appear on the ballot, but votes cast for him would be counted as blank. If Jones withdraws and no write-in candidate emerges, Kinney would essentially run unopposed.
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