By Paul Sylvain

It’s one-and-done, for first-term District 10 Rep. Kenneth “Bucket” Davis (R-East Machias), as he announced last week that he is not seeking re-election in 2024. Instead, Davis is endorsing former state Rep. Will Tuell (R-East Machias), whom Davis replaced two years ago. 

Davis, who was elected to the Maine House of Representatives in 2022, replaced Tuell, who termed out after serving from 2014 to 2022.

Since 1996, MRSA Title 21-A has prohibited legislators from serving more than four consecutive two-year terms — or eight consecutive years — in any one branch of the Legislature. However, a former state legislator may be elected to their former office after sitting out one full two-year term.

Davis was eligible to serve three more consecutive two-year terms if he chose to. Instead, his departure clears the way for Tuell to return to Augusta, if voters in House District 10 choose to elect him to his former seat later this year.

Davis is best known for his fight against the Mills administration’s ill-fated plan to sell the former Bucks Harbor Air Force base housing area in Machiasport last year, and for his crusade against school consolidation in the late 2000s. The longtime East Machias selectman last week said that while he enjoyed representing the area in Augusta, state politics are not for him. 

“I’ve enjoyed representing the people,” Davis said. “I’ve met some great people and made some good friends in Augusta, but I can do my fighting better from the outside.” 

Davis went on to say that while he isn’t running for re-election, he believes former Rep. Will Tuell “is the right tool for the job.” 

Davis alluded to the inherent difficulty elected representatives from more rural, sparsely populated districts in Maine face when going to Augusta. More often than not, they are often outvoted by representatives from heavily populated districts in southern and central Maine.

Legislation that often would  benefit areas like Washington County gets outvoted. As both Davis and Tuell noted in their respective statements last week, it can be frustrating on multiple levels. They agreed that whether it's money for education or infrastructure, such as repaving, the lion’s share of such funding typically goes to Portland and southern Maine communities while Washington County gets the left-overs.

It was a lot different going to Augusta to lobby against such issues as school consolidation than being in the House of Representatives, Davis said. Most legislators “have their minds already made up,” he said. “There’s no common sense and they do what they’re told. I don’t do that. I make my own decisions.” 

Speaking about his endorsement of Tuell to replace him, Davis said, “I’ve known Will since he was a kid at Elm Street School. I got him into it 10 years ago. He is a good speaker. He has the time. And you aren't going to push him around. He did a good job for the area when he was in the Legislature for eight years. I support him 100 percent.” 

Davis added that while he’s retiring from the House, he will still stay involved. 

“Will and I worked well together over the years,” he said. “I’ve always worked with our delegation to fight for local control, our area schools, our economy, and things that matter to Washington County people, and I will continue to do that. I’ve met some great people being on Marine Resources and have worked well with [Commissioner] Pat [Keliher] as well, so I will still follow what’s going on down there. However, I’m getting older and want to spend time with my family while I still can.” 

Tuell, who served as a member of the House Environment and Natural Resources, Marine Resources, and State and Local Government committees, spoke highly of Davis’ tenure in the Legislature, adding that he will be greatly missed in the halls of the State House.

“Bucket did a great job for the area.,” said Tuell. “I know he was frustrated with how things work in Augusta, with the nonsense that goes on there, and I can’t say I blame him for that, but he brought common sense to that building few ever have. He put everything into his constituents, his committee, and he made sure that local people’s voices were heard over the lobbyists and paper pushers down there. I am thankful that we were able to convince him to run in the first place because Augusta needed him, whether it realized it or not.” 

Continuing, Tuell admitted the job of a lawmaker can be demanding. 

“It takes a lot out of you,” said Tuell. “It’s a huge commitment to be away from your family, to be focused on thousands of bills, to figure out what people want, to attend all the functions someone in office really should attend. So being termed out turned out to be a blessing for me in that I could still follow Augusta from a distance with the perspective of having been there, but also separate myself, rest, and relax a bit. That’s renewed my energy for a demanding campaign and the heavy workload a legislator must be able to manage.”

Tuell stressed that he is “rested and recharged” and ready to roll up his sleeves and commit to another stint at the State House.

Both Davis and Tuell have been integral parts of East Machias’ fabric. Davis, who graduated from Washington Academy in East Machias in 1973. has worked at Elm Street School for more than 40 years. Since 1997, he has been and still is an East Machias selectman. He also has worked as an electrician and a logger.

Tuell, meanwhile, graduated sixth academically in 1996, at Washington Academy, and earned a BA degree with honors in history from the University of Maine at Machias in 2001. Since 2009, Tuell has served continuously as an East Machias selectman with Davis. He was responsible for publicity for Sunrise County Economic Council from 1999-2014, and as a reporter with the former Down East Coastal Press in Cutler. He currently is an award-winning journalist and production assistant with the Machias Valley News Observer in Machias.

During his previous tenure as a state representative Tuell sponsored a bill to arm Maine’s forest rangers. “The bill passed with overwhelming bipartisan support and survived a veto by then-Gov. Paul LePage,” Tuell said.

Tuell also earned a reputation as a tireless, unrelenting fighter for Washington County in the aftermath of Gov. LePage’s midnight raid on Feb. 9, 2018, closing the Downeast Correctional Facility in Bucks Harbor without prior notice to DCF’s leadership or staff.

“I supported bills to save the prison,” said Tuell. “While none of those were successful in their own right, I was involved with the delegation and the Millas Administration in getting it reopened again.”

House District 10 extends from Marshfield to Pembroke, and from Lubec to Princeton, and encompasses Alexander, Charlotte, Cooper, Crawford, Cutler, Dennysville, East Machias, Lubec, Machiasport, Marshfield, Northfield, Pembroke, Princeton, Wesley, Whiting, Berry Township, Big Lake Township, Cathance Township, East Central Washington/Edmunds Township, Greenlaw Chopping Township, Marion Township, North Washington (Part) and Trescott Township.

Tuell will first face voters in the June Republican primary, where he hopes to advance to the November general election.