State Representative District 1 in Maine State House District 1, Maine

2026 Primary Election

• Dana M Appleby — Library Specialist in Fort Kent, ME

  Dana Marie Appleby is a Democratic candidate seeking election to the Maine House of Representatives for District 1 in the 2026 primary. Professionally, she serves as a Library Specialist CL3 at the University of Maine at Fort Kent’s Blake Library, located in Fort Kent. Her campaign is focused on two primary issues: alleviating the financial burden on Maine families by lowering costs for essentials like groceries and home heating, and advocating for environmental protections. She aims to ease the cost of living for her communities, particularly in Aroostook County, where heating costs are a significant concern during harsh winters.

• Austin Theriault — Small business owner in Fort Kent, ME

  Austin Theriault, a 32-year-old former NASCAR driver and small motorsports business owner, is seeking to return to the Maine House of Representatives for District 1 in the 2026 Primary Election. Having previously served from 2022-2024, Theriault was the Republican nominee for Maine's 2nd Congressional District in 2024, where he nearly defeated incumbent Jared Golden. A native of Fort Kent, he is currently pursuing secondary education. He states his reasons for running include addressing energy costs, addiction, and challenges faced by schools and small businesses, hoping to improve the dynamic for his community.