WESTBROOK — There is still nine months until voters choose a new mayor, but two city Democrats have already claimed their places in the race, with the potential for a third candidate to enter as well.

Mayor Mike Sanphy says he will seek another two-year term and At-large Councilor Mike Foley told the American Journal this week that he hopes to unseat Sanphy. 

Betty Dyer, chairman of the Westbrook Republican Committee, said she has not heard from anyone from the party about their interest in running for mayor.

Foley recently rejoined the council, after defeating Deb Shangraw in a two-way race for John O’Hara’s at-large seat in November. 

Foley would bring to the mayor’s position more than a decade of council experience in the city. He served on the council from 2006 until 2016 when he stepped down.

“I’ve desired the position since I began serving in 2006. It is just a matter of the timing being right. I’ve invested in my education. I have a degree in pubic administration and have invested years of public service to the city either as an elected or appointed official,” Foley said.

Foley said his intention was not to get elected to the council and then run for another position, but along the campaign trail he heard from many people who “indicated a desire for me to run for mayor.”

He captured close to 60 percent of the vote last November and says that margin indicates he has strong support across the city.

“If I hadn’t had broad-based community support, I may not have considered running (for mayor),” he said.

Foley said if elected, he would bring a new style of leadership.

“We need leadership that brings people together and puts the city before personal politics or personal agendas. I think bringing people together brings out the best ideas to solve our most pressing issues that face this community,” he said.

He said he doesn’t intend to run a negative campaign to unseat Sanphy, who he served on the council with for six years.

“I am not a huge fan of his leadership, but I don’t plan to attack what he’s done. What I want to do is focus on what I can do,” he said.

Sanphy, who has been mayor since 2016, worked 40 years in the Westbrook Police Department and 20 years as a call firefighter. Shortly after retiring, Sanphy spent two terms on the City Council before winning the mayor’s position.

“My heart and soul is in Westbrook. It is a labor of love,” he said of serving the city.

Sanphy said this week he wants to continue the work he has started.

“We made some good progress so far in my first term. Downtown is coming together good and we have some other projects in the works,” he said. “I think we can do a lot of good continuing what we are doing.”

Sanphy narrowly beat USM art professor and Friends of the Presumpscot River President Michael Shaughnessy by a single percentage point (35.8 to 34.8 percent) to win the mayor’s race. Independent James Tranchemontagne finished with just under a quarter of the votes and unenrolled Jason Jerrier finished with 0.05 percent of the 9,015 votes cast.

Shaughnessy said he is weighing whether he wants to run for mayor again.

“It is really too early to say for sure what I am thinking regarding running. I think we are fortunate to have a good community of leaders in this city. If I were to decide to run it would not be due to a sense of adverseness but having a differing set of ideas for the city and how it may build identity and meet the challenges and opportunities moving forward,” he wrote in an email to the American Journal. 

Shaughnessy said he thinks the city has a “good community” of leaders at the helm and loves “the passion and community that Westbrook has.”

“While every community is different, I feel that Westbrook can not only excel as a city but by embracing the creative and innovative, set a standard for communities nationally. I would like to be a part of that and being mayor is one way.” he said.

Michael Kelley can be reached at 780-9106 or mkelley@keepmecurrent.com or on Twitter @mkelleynews

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