Political newcomer John Salamone, a Republican who recently moved to Hollis from Portland, announced on social media Monday that he is withdrawing from the Dist. 32 State Senate race.
In a brief post on his personal Facebook page, Salamone wrote: “After a great deal of reflection and prayer, I’ve decided to withdraw my campaign for state senate.”
John Salamone of Hollis
Salamone was the second candidate to announce a challenge to incumbent Henry Ingwersen, a Democrat who is hoping for a third term. Jason Litalien, a former Biddeford mayoral candidate, remains in the race as an independent, unenrolled candidate.
“Over the past several months, I’ve been humbled by the encouragement and generosity of so many people who believe in our shared vision for Maine,” Salamone wrote. “Your support, whether through kind words, time, or financial contributions, has meant more to me than I can express.”
Salamone said he and his wife recently welcomed a newborn daughter into the world.
“As any parent knows, this is a profound and life-altering moment,” Salamone said. “The responsibility of fatherhood is immediate, personal, and sacred. At this time, my focus needs to be fully on my family.”
Salamone said he cares deeply about the direction of state government. His decision to withdraw, he said, was not easy.
“I remain committed to the principles we discussed, and I look forward to continuing to engage in our community as my capacity allows,” he added.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:Randy Seaver is the editor and founder of the Biddeford Gazette. He has been covering Biddeford news and politics for nearly three decades. He may be reached by email: randy@randyseaver.com
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This year’s District 32 State Senate race could become a crowded affair.
So far, three candidates have announced their intentions to seek the senate seat that represents Biddeford, Arundel, Dayton, Lyman and Hollis in the Maine Legislature.
The Gazette learned this week that there is a possibility more candidates may be coming forward in the near future for that seat.
The declared candidates now include incumbent Democrat Henry Ingwersen of Arundel; Republican newcomer John Salamone of Hollis; and Independent Jason Litalien, an unenrolled attorney from Biddeford.
IngwersenLitalienSalamone
We spoke recently with Ingwersen and Litalien, but Salamone was unavailable for an interview at press time, saying he would contact us in the near future.
Ingwersen, a retired public-school teacher and a beekeeper, is now serving his second consecutive term in the senate. He is senate chair of the Health and Human Services Committee and also serves on the on the Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee.
He previously served one term in the Maine House of Representatives from 2018 to 2020, saying he got into politics because of his “frustration” with President Donald Trump, a brash and outspoken Republican.
Ingwersen, 75, says he hopes to win a third term in the senate in order to continue working on issues that matter to his constituents.
“I’m running to continue the work that I’ve always done to build a stronger, more affordable and caring Maine that brings our communities together,” Ingwersen said. “Now, in these impossible times, I feel more strongly than ever before that I am called to support affordable, accessible health care for all, fight for funding for affordable child care for Maine families, take on food insecurity by supporting universal free school meals, and much more.”
He said he enjoys listening to my constituents, and helping them when he is able. “It is what I do, and will keep doing.” Ingwersen said.
Litalien, 50, told the Gazette that he places a strong value on community service.
“Ever since I was a little boy, I have wanted to serve the public,” he said. “Right now, the political climate is so toxic, and that’s why I’m running as an independent candidate. We have to stop pointing fingers at each other and focus on meeting the needs of Maine people.”
Litalien, a veteran who served in the United States Air Force, made his name well-known in the city by running a very strong challenge against former Mayor Alan Casavant in 2019, losing that race by only 107 votes (2,234-2127).
Two years prior, Litalien ran against Casavant as a write-candidate and received only 78 votes.
In 2023, Litalien challenged and lost to former police chief Roger Beaupre for the Ward Three seat on the city council.
Litalien said his number one issue is public education.
“We need to take a serious look at why our students all across Maine are scoring below national averages,” he said.
But education is not Litalien’s only concern.
“It is an atrocity to see all the new taxes that our representatives are approving in Augusta,” Litalien said.
Litalien blames many of Maine’s problems on what he described as a fractured and dysfunctional two-party system.
“What matters to me is fixing the problem, not the color of your necktie,” he said. “Too many people are now blinded by party lines and party allegiance.”
Litalien said today’s publics school students are being taught what to think rather than how to think.
“We have some of the highest per-pupil costs in the country and some of the lowest student test scores,” he said. “That just doesn’t make sense to me.”
Both Ingwersen and Litalien are running as Clean Election candidates as opposed to traditionally funded campaigns.
“I don’t like owing anyone, and this way I am not beholden to anyone or any special interest,” Litalien said.
Ingwersen has previously described Maine’s Clean Elections program as “a valuable tool” that opens the doors to more candidates who might not otherwise be able to seek public office. “It levels the playing field,” he said.
Ingwersen said he is proud of his accomplishments over the last four years in the senate, pointing to his commitment to fully funding MaineCare and sponsoring a bill to create a network of regional resource hubs to connect child care providers, employers, and families.
He also pointed to a bill he sponsored that would continue the Child Care Employment Award to help pay the child care tuition of those employed as child care professionals.
“I opposed proposed budget cuts to child care worker wage supplements, child care tuition coverage, and Head Start funding, making sure that they were put back into the budget,” Ingwersen said.
When it comes to Maine’s economy, Ingwersen said he worked hard to maintain the state’s commitment to cities and towns by keeping revenue sharing at five percent and funding 55 percent of K-12 education.
“Prior to 2018, revenue sharing was at two percent, and state funding for education was at 49 percent. We increased both of these things over the years and have embedded them in the budget,” Ingwersen said.
There’s a lot more that needs to be done to help the people of Maine, Ingwersen said.
Litalien said the Legislature needs to be “more creative” in addressing problems, and stop creating new taxes such as a recent new tax levied on streaming services such as Netflix.
“When it comes to Augusta, it’s just taxes, taxes and more taxes,” Litalien said. “It has to stop. It’s not sustainable for hard-working Maine families.”
For more information about Ingwersen’s campaign, you may visit his website, Henry for Senate.
For more information about Litalien’s campaign, you may visit his website, Jason for Maine
For more information about Salamone’s campaign, you may visit his website, Salamone for Senate.
This story will be updated as the campaigns continue and new information becomes available.
Correction:Prior to 2018, the state share local K-12 public schools was at 49 percent, not 55 percent which is today’s rate. It was a clerical error, and the story has been updated. We apologize for the mistake
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ABOUT THE AUTHORRandy Seaver is the editor and founder of the Biddeford Gazette. He has been covering Biddeford news and politics for nearly three decades. He may be reached by email: randy@randyseaver.com
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THE BIDDEFORD GAZETTE |A Legacy of Trusted, Independent Journalism
We talked about the upcoming municipal elections, my predictions on the various races and voter turnout.
Randy is a Biddeford native and a former member of the Biddeford School Committee. You can find his podcast on several platforms, including YouTube, Spotify and Facebook.
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UPDATE | Biddeford’s 2025 Election Results
City Council President Liam LaFountain edged out one-term incumbent Marty Grohman in a three-way race that also included former city councilor Norman Belanger.
In the three-way race, LaFountain picked up 2,626 votes (42 percent) over Grohman’s 2,414 votes (38 percent) and Belanger’s 1,273 votes (20) percent.
NOTE | You can see my previous interview with Randy — where we talked about my 2024 Top 20 local politicians and policy maker list — at the link below.
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UPDATE | Biddeford’s 2025 Election Results
City Council President Liam LaFountain edged out one-term incumbent Marty Grohman in a three-way race that also included former city councilor Norman Belanger.
In the three-way race, LaFountain picked up 2,626 votes (42 percent) over Grohman’s 2,414 votes (38 percent) and Belanger’s 1,273 votes (20) percent.
A federal lawsuit against the city of Biddeford, Mayor Marty Grohman and Police Chief JoAnne Fisk has been filed in U.S. District Court, alleging that the city mishandled the criminal investigation of a traffic accident that occurred on April 4 this year.
The plaintiff, Katie Elie, 35, of Saco. has retained Biddeford attorney Jason Litalien to represent her in the proceedings.
According to court documents, Elie is alleging that her constitutional rights were violated by the Biddeford Police Department in their subsequent investigation of a vehicle that was found unoccupied off the side of the road near the intersection of River and South streets, a rural area known by longtime residents as ‘Molly’s Crotch.’
Litalien says his client drove off the road and then got a ride home from someone known to her.
On the next day, the Biddeford Police Department towed the abandoned vehicle – a 2022 Ford Expedition — to the police impound lot. When Elie returned to the scene of the incident at about 10 a.m., she noticed that her vehicle had been removed, claiming nobody notified her that her vehicle had been towed and was now impounded by the police.
The intersection, known as ‘Molly’s Crotch’ at the intersection of South Street and River Road in Biddeford, was the location of a traffic accident that triggered a federal lawsuit, (Seaver photo)
In the complaint, Litalien says his client’s passport, some medications and other personal items were left in the vehicle and were not immediately available to his client as police began their investigation.
Litalien said that his client contacted police on Sunday April 6 and was told her vehicle was “seized.” Elie then contacted her attorney for help getting her vehicle back.
In the complaint, Litalien alleges that police did not notify his client that her vehicle was being impounded, furthermore Litalien says the police did not have probable cause for the seizure. He also says police had not filed criminal charges against his client and had not obtained a warrant before conducting their search.
Litalien says his client is seeking $500,000 in punitive damages.
When contacted by the Biddeford Gazette for comment, Police Chief JoAnne Fisk said she could not comment on an ongoing investigation and because the matter is now a matter of pending litigation against the city.
According to police records, Elie was charged with two counts on May 5: Leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident and driving to endanger.
Like Fiske, Mayor Marty Grohman also declined to comment on the story, saying City Attorney Harry Center should be the contact person.
Center told the Gazette that the matter is being handled by another attorney, John Wall, a partner at Monaghan Leahy, a Portland law firm that represents the city’s insurance company, Paquin & Carroll.
When contacted Tuesday, Wall said he would not comment on the complaint because his client had yet to decide how to respond to the suit. Wall says the law provides his client with 60 days to address the pending suit.
Litalien said police violated several other rights held by his client and all U.S. citizens.
For example, even though Litalien had notified police that he was representing Elie in the matter, they contacted his client directly to inform her that she could pick up her passport and her medications.
“They told me on April 6 that the vehicle was impounded and sealed for investigation,” Litalien said. “They told me that I could not get her passport and medications. That’s just not acceptable.”
Litalien said the police then called her directly to say she could retrieve her passport and medications, a violation of state statute and an act of “bad faith” by police, he said.
Some 16 days after the incident, Litalien contacted the York County District Attorney’s office. He says the office confirmed that “no charges had been filed,” nor had a warrant been issued.
Litalien said his client filed the suit for three reasons. First, that city had violated her civil rights; secondly that she wanted to retrieve her property and finally to seek punitive damages.
Litalien says the Biddeford Police Department violated his client’s Fourth, Fifth, Sixth and 14th Amendment rights under the U.S. Constitution.
In the suit, Litalien described the police conduct as “reckless, extreme and outrageous.” He says the way police acted caused his client “severe emotional distress, anxiety and psychological harm that no reasonable person could be expected to endure.”
“They held her passport and her medications,” Litalien said. “Not only was she prohibited from traveling internationally but she has been put through the wringer, something that should never happen to anyone.”
Litalien says his client has suffered a loss of sleep, a loss of appetite and a constant fear that she will face further retribution from police.
In the lawsuit, Litalien points out that his client was forced to rent another vehicle, pay for replacement medications and endure severe emotional distress.
Litalien described police conduct in this matter as “willful, wanton, reckless and malicious.”
Litalien narrowly lost a 2019 bid to oust then Mayor Alan Casavant. Then, in 2023, Litalien lost a bid against former Police Chief Roger Beaupre for the Ward Three City Council set.
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