State Representative District 17 in Maine State House District 17, Maine

2026 Primary Election

• Steven Matthew Bishop — Incumbent State Representative in Bucksport, ME

  Steven Matthew Bishop is an incumbent Republican State Representative for Maine's House District 17, serving Bucksport, Orland, Penobscot, and Verona Island. First elected in 2024, he is seeking re-election in the 2026 primary. Bishop is a third-generation small business owner and a retired Bucksport Police Department officer. His extensive public service includes roles on the Bucksport Town Council, as Deputy Mayor, and as Chair of the Town Planning Board, in addition to being a former firefighter. He holds a degree in Fire Science and is a Maine Criminal Justice Academy graduate. As a legislator, he serves on the Transportation Committee and has been involved in efforts urging the revocation of Gulf of Maine Offshore Wind Leases. He and his wife, Kittie, reside in Bucksport.

• Ronald B Russell — Candidate for Maine House of Representatives District 17 in ME

  Ronald B. Russell is seeking election to the Maine House of Representatives, representing District 17, in the 2026 Democratic primary on June 9. He previously served as a member of the Maine House of Representatives for District 17 from December 2022 to December 2024. During his prior term, he was assigned to the Ethics Committee and the Labor and Housing Committee. He is running for the office he previously held.