State Senator District 8 in Maine State Senate District 8, Maine

2026 Primary Election

• Leo C Kenney — Small business owner in Orono, ME

  Leo C. Kenney, a Republican, is campaigning for the Maine State Senate, District 8, in the June 9, 2026 primary. A 4th-generation Mainer and small business owner for 25 years, he aims to bring balance to Augusta by strengthening communities and prioritizing Maine people. Kenney, a product of Orono public schools, served over 12 years on the Orono School Board and Town Council. He volunteers as a youth sports coach and, as the youngest of ten children, values social safety nets. With his wife Sarah, he is a father of three. His platform focuses on strengthening rural healthcare and mental health services, ensuring state financial responsibility, and lowering Maine's tax burden.

• Michael Tipping — Incumbent State Senator in ME

  Michael Tipping is an incumbent Democratic State Senator representing District 8 in Maine. An American writer and activist, he grew up in Orono, Maine, and attended Dalhousie University. Prior to his political career, Tipping was a progressive activist, working on various statewide referendum questions and advocating for initiatives like cleaning mercury pollution from the Penobscot River. He announced his candidacy for the Maine Senate in September 2021 and was elected to his first term in November 2022, assuming office in December of that year. He is currently a candidate for re-election in the 2026 Maine Primary Election for State Senate, District 8.