SOUTH PORTLAND — City Councilor Tom Blake is withdrawing his candidacy to fill the state Senate seat being vacated by Larry Bliss.
Blake announced last week that he would seek the Democratic nomination for Senate District 7, which comprises South Portland, Scarborough and Cape Elizabeth. Bliss, a Democrat in his second term, is resigning to take a job as an administrator in the California State University System. Bliss had been laid off from the University of Southern Maine more than a year ago.
Blake said he has been touched by the supportive messages he’s received about his Senate bid, which makes his decision very difficult.
“But at this time it is the right decision for me and my expanding family,” Blake said in a statement.
Blake urged his supporters to back the Democratic candidate, who will be selected by the Cumberland County Democratic Committee at a caucus April 5. Blake said he is deeply concerned about the “continued negative tone” and the “backward and regressive course” set by the LePage administration and that it is critical to carry on with the work of Bliss.
The special election will be held May 10.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.