DURHAM — Democrat Braden Sharpe, a political newcomer, defeated incumbent Rep. Paul Chace, R-Durham, in a close race Tuesday in House District 46.

Democrats also took nearly every other legislative seat in the area in Tuesday’s election. Most were incumbents who won by large margins.

But Sharpe’s margin of victory in North Yarmouth, Durham and part of Pownal was only 64 votes, 2,634 to 2,570, according to the Portland Press Herald.

Sharpe, a Durham resident and vice president at Goodwill of Northern New England, on Wednesday said he was “pleased and humbled” by the outcome.

“I’m not so sure there’s a check mark next to my name, it was a really close race,” he said. “I’m hoping it’s a win.”

Chace could not be reached Wednesday morning to see if he plans to seek a recount.

Sen. Cathy Breen, D-Falmouth, easily won re-election in District 25, which includes Falmouth, Cumberland, Yarmouth, Chebeague, Long Island, Gray and part of Westbrook.

Breen defeated her Republican rival, Cathy Nichols, 15,152 to 9,442.

Breen said she’s “really grateful to the voters and appreciate their faith in me. It’s a great privilege to represent this district.”

As of Wednesday morning, not all precincts had been counted in the Senate District 22 and 24 races.

However, Sen. Everett “Brownie” Carson, D-Harpswell, appeared to have won re-election in Senate District 24. With 50 percent of the vote tallied, Carson was leading Republican Diana Garcia, 13,161 to 6,257, according to the Portland Press Herald.

The district includes Freeport, North Yarmouth, Pownal, Brunswick and Harpswell.

In Senate District 22, state Rep. Jeffrey Timberlake, R-Turner, had a commanding lead Wednesday over Democrat Lois Kilby-Chesley of Durham with 89 percent of the vote counted, 9,305 to 5,461. The district includes Durham, Turner, Greene, Leeds, Lisbon, Litchfield, Sabattus, Wales and Wayne.

Timberlake and Kilby-Chesley were vying for the seat left vacant by Republican Sen. Garrett Mason, who was term-limited from running again.

In House District 44, which covers part of Falmouth, Rep. Theresa Pierce, D-Falmouth, won re-election by a wide margin over two first-time candidates. Pierce received 3,447 votes, Republican Sarah Sandlin had 2,087 and Green Independent Kathryn Schrock got 287.

Pierce said she’s “thrilled to represent Falmouth again” in the Legislature and said it was a real honor to represent the town in Augusta. She said her hope is that the overall election results in “a positive message of moving the state forward.”

In an uncontested race in House District 43, which includes part of Portland and part of Falmouth, Democrat Edward Crockett received 4,141 votes.

In his bid for a second term representing House District 45, Rep. Dale Denno, D-Cumberland, defeated Republican Tamsin Thomas, 3,355 to 1,709. The district includes Cumberland and part of Gray.

“I feel overwhelmingly grateful to the voters for giving me the opportunity to continue serving them,” Denno said. “Maine’s challenges are serious, and we’ve essentially lost ground for eight years during the LePage administration. We need to go back to Augusta with our sleeves rolled up and get Maine back on track.”

In House District 47, incumbent Rep. Janice Cooper, D-Yarmouth, was triumphant over Dennis Welsh, a first-time independent candidate. Cooper garnered 2,579 votes to Welsh’s 2,632, according to the Portland Press Herald. Cooper was elected to represent the district in 2012. It covers Yarmouth, Chebeague and Long Island.

In House District 48, which covers Freeport and part of Pownal, incumbent Sen. Sarah Gideon, D-Freeport, was triumphant over Paul Schulz, a Pownal independent.

Gideon, the House speaker, received 3,795 votes to Schulz’s 1,170, according to the Portland Press Herald.

Staff writers Alex Lear and Elizabeth Clemente contributed to this report. Kate Irish Collins can be reached at 710-2336 or kcollins@theforecaster.net. Follow Kate on Twitter: @KIrishCollins.

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