WATERVILLE — Three-term incumbent Rep. Bruce White was ousted from his seat by Democratic primary challenger Cassie Julia, according to unofficial election results Tuesday night.

Cassie Julia

The preliminary results for House District 65 showed Julia defeating White 490-390, or 55.7% to 44.3%.

“I have to say thank you to the people of Waterville for making it clear that issues of equality and reproductive rights are so important,” Julia said Wednesday. “I appreciate every single person and organization that showed their faith in me, and I really hope I can do them justice moving forward.”

Julia will now face Republican Tammy Brown in the general election in November.

The primary contest was an example of how abortion remains a top electoral issue in Maine and nationwide two years after the Supreme Court’s ruling that upended the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, ending federal protection for abortion access.

White was criticized by supporters of abortion rights after voting against bills advancing such access. Julia previously said in an interview that it was her teenage daughter, who will turn 18 in time to vote in this year’s elections, who brought White’s voting record to her attention and encouraged her to enter the race.

Julia was backed in the race by abortion rights advocates, including Planned Parenthood, which gave White an 11% approval rating in 2023 based on his votes on reproductive rights issues that year.

State Rep. Bruce White, D-Waterville Contributed photo

White posted on Facebook shortly after the results were released Tuesday night that he was disappointed and that “involvement of Planned Parenthood appears to be a deciding factor in this race.”

“It was an honor to serve for the last six years, and I will continue to serve the people of Waterville in new ways,” White wrote. “But first I will take some long overdue time to rest and relax. Best wishes to Cassie in her new role.”

Editor’s note: The vote totals for this race have been updated after a reporting error from the city election staff.