Chief Deputy Michael Crabtree Announces Run for Washington County Sheriff
By Paul Sylvain
Don’t let Washington County’s frozen lakes and streams fool you. Just below the ice, the first few political ripples are already being felt well in advance of the state’s primary in June. At least two Republican candidates are gunning for Marianne Moore’s Senate District 6 seat, while a potential third candidate has opted out of the race.
Moore, a Republican from Calais, has served all of Washington County and 15 communities in Hancock County since first being elected to the state senate in 2018. In accordance with Maine’s term limit law, Moore will “term out” after completing her fourth consecutive two-year term this year in December.
House District 12 Rep. and House Minority Leader Billy Bob Faulkingham (R-Winter Harbor) is one of two announced candidates hoping to win the Republican primary in June, to replace Moore in the November election.
While Faulkingham enjoys considerable support among his Hancock County constituents, apparently not everybody in the party’s leadership is on board with Faulkingham’s candidacy for state senate. Enter former House District 10 Rep. Kenneth “Bucket” Davis (R-East Machias).
During a chance meeting with Davis last week, he explained that the Republican party’s leadership in Augusta had recently contacted him to urge him to run against Faulkingham in the primary for Moore’s Senate seat.
Of concern to Washington County voters is keeping Moore’s Senate seat with someone who lives and works in Washington County. The fear, said Davis, is that Faulkingham — who resides in the Hancock County town of Winter Harbor — will place the interests of Hancock County over the needs of Washington County. “We need to keep the seat here in Washington County,” Davis said.
Faulkingham was state representative for House District 136 from 2018 to 2022 and for District 12 since 2022, when the state’s legislature was last redistricted. Davis, meanwhile, served a two-year term as House District 10 representative from December 2022 to December 2024. He decided against seeking reelection in 2024 to deal with a heart issue requiring surgery and recovery time, but is no stranger in Augusta circles, having chaired the East Machias Board of Selectmen since the early 2000s.
Asked last week about his medical status, a confident Davis flashed a big, wide smile and replied, “The doctors have given me a clean bill of health,” and said he’s eager to get back to work in Augusta, if elected.
“I think I have a good record of working [with Democrats] across the aisle to try to get things done for Washington County,” Davis said. “I always tried to do what was best for Washington County. Sometimes it upsets people [in the Legislature] in my own party, but my first concern is always what’s best for the people in Washington County.”
Beginning last summer, there was speculation that Machias Selectboard and Washington County Budget Advisory Committee (BAC) Vice Chairman Ben Edwards was going to enter the Republican primary as a candidate for Moore’s senate seat.
Asked about it before a public hearing on the county’s fiscal crisis in October, Edwards admitted he was giving a possible run some serious thought, but wanted to wrap up the 2026 budget process before deciding.
Edwards was still grappling with a decision as late as New Year's Day, but on Jan. 2 announced, “I’m not going to run this term.”
Edwards, who owns and operates a medicinal hemp farm and business, unexpectedly found his type of business deemed illegal following the enactment of recent federal policy changes adopted as part of a deal to end the federal government shutdown last fall. President Donald Trump has since stepped in with what has been called a “possible lifeline” to save hemp operations such as Edwards’, though Edwards conceded saving his business was his top priority for the foreseeable future.
“Things are fast and furious with the federal hemp situation, and I need to be able to focus on it to try to save my business and the jobs,” Edwards explained. “I already have two week-long trips scheduled to [Washington,] D.C., in January and February to lobby and educate [lawmakers], and I’m sure there will be many more.”
Edwards went on to say he was “seriously disappointed” that he had to step aside for this election cycle. “I very much want to do it, and I plan to in the near future,” said Edwards. “It’s pretty surreal to think the federal government effectively put me out of business less than a week before I planned to announce to run [for state senate].”
Davis’ predecessor, former District 139 Rep. Will Tuell (R-East Machias), had also been floated as a possible candidate but dismissed it when asked late last week. Tuell termed out after serving four consecutive terms in the House in 2022, but won re-election with 70% of the vote when he ran for Davis’s House District 10 seat in 2024.
Said Tuell, “I’m fully committed to serving central Washington County in the House and working with our delegation going forward. I’m flattered that a handful of people have suggested I run for Senate on Facebook, but the House is where I can do my best work for the people of our area, and that’s where I’m going to put my time and energy.”
In one final, unexpected political development since the new year began, Washington County Chief Deputy Mike Crabtree announced his candidacy on Jan. 2 for Washington County sheriff in a post he made to his newly created “Mike Crabtree for Sheriff” Facebook page.
Crabtree posted, “This is my official page to announce that I am running for Washington County Sheriff in 2026.” He pointed out, “I have served the people of Washington County for 30+ years as a Law Enforcement Officer,” then closed his statement, writing, “I am excited and humbled at the opportunity to serve as your sheriff with continued integrity, dedication and professionalism.”
Current Sheriff Barry Curtis was not mentioned by name in Crabtree’s announcement, and no statement has been issued by Curtis regarding his plans during the 2026 election.
