June 10 – State Senator. Ben Chipman has withdrawn from the three-way race for the Democratic nomination to represent part of Portland in the Maine House of Representatives.
The announcement came the day before voters were set to cast their ballots in the race and other primaries in the state on Tuesday, and it was not clear why Chipman decided to withdraw from the House of Representatives race.
Chipman is prevented from running for Senate again by term limits and has been actively campaigning for the Open House seat, knocking on doors last weekend.
“After much consideration, I have decided to withdraw from the House District 118 campaign,” Chipman said in a written statement. “I want to thank Portland voters and all my volunteers for their continued support over the past fifteen years since I was first elected in 2009.
“I believe 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 to serve and assist the city of Portland.”
Chipman did not respond to a follow-up email or voicemail message asking why he was dropping out, why he made the decision the day before the primary and what his future plans are. The move was announced early Monday afternoon by the Maine Department of State in a statement.
Two candidates remain for the Democratic primary in House District 118: Adams, a former state representative; and Yusuf, a former member of the Portland school board.
The seat, currently held by House Speaker Rachel Talbot Ross, D-Portland, is open because Talbot Ross can no longer run 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 would withdraw from the race.
The state Elections Department 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 if he withdraws from a primary less than 70 days before the election.
A late withdrawal notice will be posted outside the guardrail and in each polling booth at appropriate polling stations, the foreign minister said. The notice informs voters that the candidate has withdrawn and that a vote for that candidate will not be counted.
Chipman, 48, is currently completing his fourth term in the Maine Senate. He also served as a state representative from 2010 to 2016 and has served continuously in Augusta 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 and served on the Portland Public Schools board from 2020 to 2023.
“I thank Senator Chipman for his service to the state in difficult times, and a handshake to Mr. Yusuf, for a friendly last few days of this campaign,” Adams said.
Yusuf said Monday afternoon that he had just learned that Chipman was quitting and had no immediate comment.
Yusuf, who is running a traditionally financed campaign, has outpaced Chipman and Adams, both of whom have registered as clean election candidates. Yusuf has raised more than $8,300 so far, while Chipman has raised $4,125 and Adams $3,525, according to campaign finance reports.
No Republican or non-write-in candidates have registered to run for the seat, so the winner of the Democratic primary will win the overall race in November, barring a challenge from a write-in candidate.
Because there were originally more than two candidates, the primary election would take place via ranked choice voting.
The ballot design will not change with Chipman’s withdrawal, nor will the tabulator tape printout, the secretary of state said. However, only Adams and Yusuf will be included in the results of votes cast and in the official table.
Any absentee ballots already cast for Chipman will be treated as blank and reported. And since the race is no longer a three-candidate race, only the first rankings are shown.
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