State Representative District 97 in Maine State House District 97, Maine

2026 Primary Election

• Dale John Crafts — Businessman in Lisbon, ME

  Dale John Crafts is a businessman and American politician. Born in Florida and raised in Lisbon Falls, Maine, he has founded several businesses, including Mobility Plus, which assists people with disabilities. Crafts served on the Lisbon Town Council before being elected to the Maine House of Representatives, where he served from 2008 to 2016. In 2020, he was the Republican nominee for the U.S. House in Maine's 2nd congressional district. Paralyzed from the waist down in a motorcycle accident at 25, he has stated his decision to run for office was influenced by calls from political leaders and encouragement from his family. He is currently running in the Republican primary for Maine House of Representatives District 97 in 2026.

• Thomas R Watson — Attorney in Lisbon, ME

  Thomas R. Watson is a Democratic candidate for the Maine House of Representatives, District 97, in the 2026 primary election. Born in Louisiana in 1947, Watson is an attorney and a veteran of the U.S. Navy, having served during the Vietnam War. He previously represented District 62 in the Maine House from 2002 to 2010, before working with the Maine Workers’ Compensation Board. Watson, a Master Maine Guide living in Lisbon, is also involved in various community organizations. He recently ran for the Maine State Senate in 2024. Watson expressed disagreement with the prior Legislature's approach to gun control and seeks to serve his district effectively.