LEWISTON, Maine — State Rep. Peggy Rotundo, D-Lewiston, will leave the Legislature in 2016.
Rotundo, who is serving her 16th year in the Legislature, said she would not attempt to run for a Maine Senate seat, the only option available to her had she wanted to continue to serve in the next Legislature.
Rotundo has served four consecutive terms in the House. Maine’s term limits law prevents her from seeking re-election to her current seat.
Rotundo, who served four terms in the Senate before winning a House seat eight years ago, said she would not run for Senate. First elected to the Legislature in 2000, Rotundo said she would instead support the re-election campaign of Sen. Nate Libby, D-Lewiston.
“We have a wonderful senator in Nate Libby, I will very happily support him in this upcoming election,” Rotundo said. “I’m very sorry that I’m termed out. I wish I could continue to serve but we have term limits and that’s not a possibility, so I will find other ways to serve my community and my state.”
Rotundo has been an influential lawmaker and has served numerous terms as a co-chair of the state budget-writing Appropriations Committee.
Also termed out is state Rep. Michel Lajoie, D-Lewiston, the city’s House District 59 representative. Lajoie, a former Lewiston fire chief, serves on the Legislature’s Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee.
Democratic, Republican and Green Independent legislative candidates have until March 15 to submit nomination papers to the Maine secretary of state. As of Monday, no candidates had announced campaigns for either House District 58 or 59.