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Former Mayor Joins Race for Maine Governor

Former Bangor mayor Sean Faircloth filed papers Tuesday to run for governor.

By Alex Acquisto

Former Bangor mayor Sean Faircloth filed papers Tuesday to run for governor.

Faircloth, who served as mayor for a year during a three-year term on the City Council that ended last month, said he is "seriously contemplating" a gubernatorial bid as a Democratic candidate.

If he decides to run, Faircloth, 57, will be the 12th Democrat in the race to succeed term-limited Republican Gov. Paul LePage.

Faircloth said he is considering seeking the governorship because "a governor has the greatest leverage to protect Maine's citizenry from encroaching oligarchy."

A five-term legislator, Faircloth served in the Maine House from 1992 to 1994, the Maine Senate from 1994 to 1996 and again in the House from 2002 to 2008. He was House majority whip during his final two years in the House.

Faircloth unsuccessfully ran for the U.S. House in 2002.

He is the founder of the Maine Discovery Museum, a former executive director of the Secular Coalition for America and the current head of Maine Mental Health Connections Inc. in Bangor. Earlier this year, Faircloth spearheaded the Innovative Neighborhoods project, which encouraged Bangor residents to brainstorm ways to improve their city.

The Democrats already in the gubernatorial race are Attorney General Janet Mills of Farmington, former House Speaker Mark Eves of North Berwick, Sanford attorney Adam Cote, Sen. Mark Dion of Portland, former Sen. James Boyle of Gorham, former Rep. Diane Russell of Portland, Hallowell lobbyist Betsy Sweet, Dominic Anthony Crocitto of Winterport, Steven Mark DeAngelis of Readfield, Patrick Eisenhart of Augusta and Martin Vachon of Mariaville.

There are also five Republican candidates, five independents and two contenders from the Maine Green Independent Party.

(c)2017 the Bangor Daily News (Bangor, Maine)

Caroline Cournoyer is GOVERNING's senior web editor.
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