FARMINGTON — When Dick Stanchfield said business at the art gallery he works at has never been worse, Republican U.S. Senate candidate Charlie Summers wanted to know why.

Stanchfield, 78, blamed lingering fears about the economic recovery for keeping people from buying Maine artists’ work at SugarWood Gallery, where the Temple man sells high-end lamps he makes with his wife.

“People are sitting on their hands because they had a bad scare in the last recession,” he said.

Summers, who campaigned Monday in Farmington, said he agreed the federal government is not doing enough to boost consumer confidence. He added that, if elected, his plan to reduce the national debt will help. Part of that plan includes cutting or eliminating the federal Department of Education, he said later.

He told Stanchfield that reducing government spending is his top priority, that he supports eliminating legislation such as the health care reform act because it threatens to add to the national deficit, despite those who say otherwise.

The economy was the biggest concern for many of the residents and business people who spoke Monday afternoon with Summers, who walked downtown with three local Republican officials.

He is running against five other candidates in the June 12 Republican primary, and the winner will face the Democratic nominee and former Gov. Angus King, who is running as an independent.

Stanchfield, a registered Republican voter, said he supports Summers because of his economic positions. He is among a group of people who started SugarWood Gallery about 11 years ago before selling it to the current owners.

After stopping at Broadway Barbershop for a quick haircut, Summers visited the thrift shop run by the Farmington Lions Club and spoke with club member Craig Jordan, who owns a small construction business in town.

Jordan said his business is down because people don’t want to build new homes. Stable demand for home maintenance projects and improvements is the only thing that kept him afloat, he said.

Jordan, a registered Republican voter, also has concerns about rising health care costs harming small businesses. Although he doesn’t support the health care reform act, Jordan said, he doesn’t see an answer to that problem aside from improving the economy so workers and employers can afford health insurance.

After leaving the store, Summers said he supports reviewing every federal government program and department to cut wasteful spending and find ways to solve Jordan’s concerns.

Summers said, for example, he supports making deep cuts to or eliminating the federal Department of Education altogether. Government spending on education is better handled at the state level, he said.

Resident Caleb Dorr, an unaffiliated registered voter, told Summers his downtown computer repair shop is doing pretty well. After their brief conversation in Renys department store, the 30-year-old said he is “not a big fan of too much austerity” and cuts to social programs that help disadvantaged people.

Dorr said he likes some of the things he’s heard about Summers, but added he still has to learn a lot more about all of the candidates before he makes a decision.

Summers, 52, lives in Scarborough with his wife, Ruth; they have three children. State Sen. Tom Saviello, R-Wilton, Rep. Lance Harvell, R-Farmington, and Selectman Ryan Morgan accompanied Summers on the visit.

David F. Robinson — 861-9287

[email protected]