State Sen. Ben Chipman has dropped out of a three-way race for the Democratic nomination to represent part of Portland in the Maine House of Representatives.
The announcement came a day before voters cast ballots in the race and other state primaries on Tuesday, and it was unclear why Chipman decided to withdraw from the House race.
Term limits prevent Chipman from running for Senate again and he has been actively campaigning for the Open House seat, knocking on doors as recently as last weekend.
“After much consideration, I have decided to withdraw from the House District 118 campaign,” Chipman said in a written statement. “I would like to extend my sincere thanks to the voters of Portland and all of my volunteers for their unwavering support over the past 15 years since I was first elected in 2009.
“I think voters have two strong candidates: Herb Adams and Yusuf Yusuf to choose from. Moving forward, I am committed to using my extensive skills and experience to continue serving and helping the city of Portland.”
Chipman did not respond to a follow-up email or voicemail asking why he was dropping out, why he made the decision the day before the primary election and what his future plans are. The move was announced by the Maine Department of the Secretary of State in a statement Monday afternoon.
It leaves two candidates in the Democratic primary in House District 118: Adams, a former state representative; and Yusuf, former Portland school board member.
The seat, currently held by House Speaker Rachel Talbot Ross, D-Portland, is open because Talbot Ross is prevented from running again due to term limits and is instead seeking Chipman’s seat in the Maine Senate.
In a statement, the secretary of state’s office said Chipman notified Secretary of State Shenna Bellows on Monday that he was withdrawing from the race.
The state Division of Elections then notified Portland’s city clerk and posted a notice on the secretary of state’s website.
Under Maine election law, a candidate’s name cannot be removed from the ballot when he or she withdraws from a primary election less than 70 days before the election.
A late pick-up notice will be posted outside the railing and in each voting booth at the appropriate polling locations, the secretary of state’s office said. The notice will inform voters that the candidate has withdrawn and that a vote for that candidate will not be counted.
Chipman, 48, is currently concluding his fourth term in the Maine Senate. He also served as a state representative from 2010 to 2016 and has served in Augusta continuously since 2010. In an interview last month, he said his experience set him apart from his opponents and was why voters should re-elect him.
Adams also served four terms in the Maine House, from 2002 to 2010, while Yusuf is a newcomer to state politics who served on the Portland Public Schools board from 2020 to 2023.
“I extend my thanks to Senator Chipman for his state service in difficult times and a handshake to Mr. Yusuf for a gentlemanly final few days of this campaign,” Adams said.
Yusuf said Monday afternoon that he had just learned that Chipman was dropping out and had no immediate comment.
Yusuf, who is running a traditionally funded campaign, has outraised Chipman and Adams, who registered as clean candidates for the election. Yusuf has raised more than $8,300 to date, while Chipman has raised $4,125 and Adams has raised $3,525, according to campaign finance reports.
No Republican or non-registered candidates have filed to run for the seat, so the winner of the Democratic primary will win the general race in November unless challenged by a write-in candidate.
Because there were originally more than two candidates, the primaries had been scheduled to be conducted by ranked-choice voting.
The layout of the ballot will not change with Chipman’s retirement, nor will the printing of the tabulation tape, the secretary of state’s office said. However, only Adams and Yusuf will appear in the list of votes cast and in the official tabulation.
Any absentee ballots already cast in favor of Chipman will be treated and reported as blank. And since the race is no longer a three-candidate race, only the top rankings will be tabulated.
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