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Local representative, Wilton resident running for State Senate

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Rep. Russell Black (R – Wilton) has declared his candidacy for the State Senate.

WILTON – A longtime resident and state representative has announced his candidacy for the Senate District 17 seat in the 2018 election.

Rep. Russell Black (R – Wilton) will run for the Senate district that is made up of Franklin County, as well as Belgrade, Fayette, Mount Vernon and Vienna in neighboring Kennebec County. The current officeholder, Sen. Tom Saviello (R – Wilton), is term-limited and cannot run for District 17 in 2018.

In a statement released Wednesday, Saviello said that he was pleased Black was running for his seat. “I am very glad Russ has decided to run for state senate,” said Saviello. “He is a long time member of this community and he truly understands our needs. He cares about the community as much as I do.”

Black, a Republican, is the first candidate to publicly declare for Senate District 17. Black has served four terms as the state representative of House District 114, encompassing much of northern Franklin County, and is on the  Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee.

Locally, he spent nine years on the Wilton Selectboard and 19 years on its planning board. He is also the former president of the Wilton Lions Club and the Mt. Blue High School All Sports Boosters, and was also associated with the U.S. Department of Agriculture farm service committee as a member, and the Franklin County Farm Bureau and Farmers’ Union in Farmington as director.

Black is a farmer and logger, operating Black Acres Farms in Wilton. He graduated Mt. Blue High School and attended college at the Wentworth Institute for Technology in Boston, Mass. and Central Maine Community College.

“During my time in Augusta, we have accomplished a great deal to be proud of,” said Black as part of the prepared statement. “We have significantly lowered taxes several times, allowing Maine families to keep more of their hard-earned money, paid off the enormous debts that were owed to our hospitals, including the debt owed to Franklin Memorial Hospital and we have enacted policies that are strengthening our economy and making Maine a more competitive place to do business. But there’s still a lot of work to be done, which is why I would like to continue to fight for rural Maine and be a voice for people in our community.”

Black’s candidacy was also supported by Senate President Michael Thibodeau (R-Waldo), who said that Black “had a tremendous record of supporting his community long before he began serving in Augusta.”

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13 Comments

  1. Congrats Russell, this is great news. Feel free to put a “Black for Senate” sign on my lawn !!!

  2. I was pleased to hear that Russell Black will run for the Senate seat currently occupied by Tom Saviello. Local knowledge and experience is valuable currency in the Legislature, and Russell Black has earned his pay as a member of the House. The quality of our representation will continue to be high!

  3. I am glad to hear that Russell wants to continue to represent our part of Maine in Augusta.

  4. I feel that Russ has served the citizens of New Vineyard well over the many years and will do an excellent job as State Senator!

  5. Congratulations Russell! Looks like Guy Iverson might finally have a chance to be a state rep??

  6. Good luck Russell, you’ve got my vote and every one I know. Keep working for the taxpayer. See you on the farm at John’s.

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