State Representative District 85 in Maine State House District 85, Maine

2026 Primary Election

• Timothy P Nickels — Executive director in ME

  Timothy P. Nickels, a Republican, is running for the Maine House of Representatives to represent District 85. He earned a high school diploma from Mount Desert Island High School, an associate degree from Southern Maine Community College, and a bachelor's degree from Columbia Southern University in 2012. Nickels' career experience includes working as an executive director. His policy priorities include ensuring law enforcement is properly funded, strengthening skilled trades, increasing transparency in education, lowering energy costs, addressing rising housing prices, and focusing government spending on core priorities. He is on the ballot for the Republican primary on June 9, 2026.

• Adrienne Paul — Childcare business owner in ME

  Adrienne Paul is a Republican candidate for the Maine House of Representatives, District 85, in the 2026 primary election. Her political aspirations were inspired by her personal struggle as a CNA facing high childcare costs, which led her to establish and expand a childcare center now licensed for 80 children. She is running to address what she perceives as overregulation crushing childcare providers and families. Her platform emphasizes common-sense regulatory reform for accessible and affordable childcare, attracting more healthcare professionals through reciprocal licensing, increasing housing supply by cutting red tape, and cutting taxes while reducing government spending and combating waste.

• Paul Harris Welch — School Board Member, Maine School Administrative District 06 in Standish, ME

  Paul Harris Welch is a Democratic Party candidate vying for a seat in the Maine House of Representatives, representing District 85. He is running in the primary election scheduled for June 9, 2026. Currently, Welch serves as an officeholder for the Maine School Administrative District 06 Bonny Eagle School District in Standish, with his term set to conclude in 2027. His campaign indicates a transition from local educational governance to state legislative aspirations. If successful in the primary, he would advance to the general election on November 3, 2026, potentially facing Republican primary candidates Timothy Nickels and Adrienne Paul.