AUGUSTA, Maine — Democrats have maintained control of the Maine House of Representatives — barely. They will need most of the four independents that apparently were elected to ensure they organize the House. A few seats were not settled by early Tuesday morning.
Republicans say they have a one vote margin in the Senate, 18-17 with two recounts likely in the Yarmouth and Lewiston senate seats.
Current leaders in both parties say the hard-fought elections need to be put behind the new Legislature and the parties will have to work together, and with Gov. Paul LePage, to address the state's problems.
"We are going to come to the table ready to govern, so as we always do in an election cycle, we fight hard for the values that we believe in and the candidates that we believe in, and at the end of the day we accept the results," said Democratic House Speaker Mark Eves.
"Now that this governor's race is over I think people are going to start really looking at what what's really the policy that people are looking for," said Republican House Minority Leader Ken Fredette. "I think the governor's race certainly indicates, in terms of policy, they we were headed in the right direction. I think it is time for us to work together now and get the important work done for Maine."
"We're going to have control of the Senate; we are going to have the Blaine House and a good solid minority in the House," said Sen. Roger Katz, R-Augusta. "And you know if there is a time for the parties to look ahead and work together to face the real problems we have, this is it."
