Independent Terry Hayes of Buckfield, a former Democratic Party assistant leader in the House, defeated Democratic incumbent state Treasurer Neria Douglass in a secret ballot vote of the entire Legislature Wednesday evening.
Hayes, nominated by Republicans in the Legislature, acknowledged to reporters that she never thought she would be nominated by the GOP for anything.
"No, the answer is no," she said. "Not until the last three weeks, I knew it was a possibility. But it is, you know, you can’t make this stuff up."
Hayes said she would agree that it was implausible that she could defeat the incumbent Democratic state treasurer with half of the joint convention made up of Democrats.
"You know those of us that work in this environment say, 'oh that will never happen.' Well guess what, it did," she said. "I am humbled by the trust and faith they put in me."
Hayes left the Democratic Party earlier this year to work on the campaign of Eliot Cutler, who ran as an independent for governor. She said she clearly had the support of some Democrats in order to get elected.
"People trust me," she said. "That’s how I think I did this."
Hayes will take office in January when the legislature reconvenes.