Winners announced in Maine House primary recounts
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Two recounts on Thursday confirmed the winners in tight state House primary elections.
Suzanne Andresen, of West Bath, was confirmed as the winner of the Republican primary for House District 49, which covers Arrowsic, Georgetown, Phippsburg, West Bath and Woolwich. She beat Nicolas Hamlin, 608-602, after the initial count showed her ahead 609-601.
And Lisa Pratt was confirmed as the winner in the Democratic primary for House District 135, which covers part of Kennebunk. Pratt wound up defeating Rachel Phipps 1,151-1,133. One vote allocated to Pratt on election night was confirmed to be a blank during the recount, according to a spokesperson for the Department of the Secretary of State.
Andresen is set to face Trent Vellella, who ran uncontested in the Democratic primary, for the House District 49 seat in November. The seat is currently held by Democrat Allison Hepler, who did not seek reelection.
In a phone call Thursday afternoon, Andresen commended Hamlin for entering the race, noting “running for politics is not easy.”
“If this doesn’t show that every vote counts, I don’t know what does,” Andresen said, adding she hopes that will encourage voters to continue showing up at the polls regardless of party affiliation.
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Pratt will face independent Scott Craig for the House District 135 seat currently held by Democrat Daniel Sayre, who is running for Senate District 34 this November.
Pratt said she was “thrilled” to be confirmed as the winner in an email statement Thursday, and that watching the recount unfold Thursday gave her “even greater confidence in the strength and integrity of our election system.”
“It was a close race, so I’m looking forward to bringing the voters together and moving on towards November,” Pratt said.
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Tagged: election 2026, Maine house, maine legislature, Maine State House, sagadahoc county maine, york county Maine
Drew is the night reporter for the Portland Press Herald. He previously covered South Portland, Scarborough and Cape Elizabeth for the Sentry, Leader and Southern Forecaster. Though he is from Massachusetts,. More by Drew Johnson
