SKOWHEGAN — Anne Amadon, 55, a longtime Republican Party activist, defeated Newell Graf, 60, a former Skowhegan selectman and current chairman of Somerset County commissioners, in the Republican primary Tuesday for House District 107.

Amadon beat Graf 266-123 in the district that covers all of Skowhegan and the Somerset County Jail in East Madison.

Candidates for the Skowhegan Board of Selectmen Donn Chamberlain, left, and, at right, Betty Austin and Paul Natale, greet town voters along with Anne Amadon and Newell Graf, the two candidates in the Republican primary for House District 77 on Tuesday. Amadon was the winner and will face off with Austin in the November election for the House seat. Staff photo by David Leaming

Anne Amadon

Newell Graf

Jobs, the drug epidemic and welfare reform were on the minds of both candidates leading up to the primaries Tuesday.

Graf said he had the experience, having served two terms as a Skowhegan selectman, the last year as chairman, and two years as a county commissioner, where he is the current chairman.

Amadon, a registered nurse, said she is drawn to helping people get off welfare and to fight “this unbelievable heroin problem that we’re facing.”

She said after Tuesday’s victory that she’s “excited, motivated and ready to get to work.”

“The people have voted, and that’s the person they want to represent them,” Graf said Tuesday night. “They said what they had to say.”

The winner of the Republican Party primary Tuesday will face Skowhegan Selectwoman Betty Austin, the Democratic Party candidate for House District 107, in November.

The seat has been held by House Majority Leader Jeff McCabe, D-Skowhegan, who is vacating it because of term limits. McCabe is vying against Republican incumbent Rod Whittemore in the District 26 state Senate race.

Doug Harlow — 612-2367

dharlow@centralmaine.com

Twitter:@Doug_Harlow

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