Sartoris holds 29,000 vote lead in Cumberland County DA race
The Democratic incumbent leads Stephanie Anderson in a contest centered on office management and partisan alignment.
By Elena Perry ·
Democratic incumbent Jacqueline Sartoris led her challenger by a wide margin late Tuesday night in the Cumberland County District Attorney race.
With 20 of the 28 municipalities reporting, Sartoris held 67,155 votes to 38,258 for Stephanie Anderson. That difference amounted to roughly 29,000 votes in favor of the incumbent.
Sartoris, a Democrat from Brunswick, secured her party’s nomination in a June primary. She defeated a former prosecutor from her own office in that contest. She has served as district attorney since winning election in 2022.
Challenger Anderson served as district attorney for 28 years before retiring in 2018. She is now unenrolled but was a registered Republican during her six terms. Anderson said prosecutors and defense attorneys from both parties asked her to run. She stated she would withdraw if Sartoris did not win the primary.
The campaign has focused on the condition of the district attorney’s office. Anderson argued that the office has fallen into disarray under Sartoris’ leadership. She claimed this lack of accountability is visible on the streets of Portland. She also said the position should remain separate from partisan politics.
Sartoris rejected the idea that the county has devolved into turmoil. During a recent forum, she said her office focused on a return to charging after a drop during the pandemic. She also noted a decrease in the return to jail rate, which refers to people returning to jail within 30 days.
The candidates also debated party affiliation. Sartoris pointed to Anderson’s recent Republican activities. After retiring, Anderson became chair of the Cumberland County Republican Committee. She ran for the Maine Senate in 2020 and continues to receive support from Maine conservatives. Democrats have criticized Anderson for running as unenrolled, describing it as a move to distance herself from the Republican Party in a predominantly Democratic county. Anderson, 73, gained backing from police unions and many attorneys.
