SACO —  Sen. Linda Valentino, D-Saco, said she won’t seek re-election, citing family responsibilities. And her decision, reached earlier this week and announced this afternoon, has vaulted  two popular Democrats  into the race.

Rep. Barry Hobbins and Rep. Justin Chenette, who represent Saco House Districts 14 and 15 respectively, both announced this afternoon that they will seek the Democratic nod in the June primary for Senate District 31, which includes Saco, Hollis, Old Orchard Beach, Limington and part of Buxton.

Valentino  made her announcement at the Saco Democratic Caucus this afternoon, in front of a crowd of about 650 people.  Valentino said her mother is elderly and unwell and that her sister has been her mother’s primary caregiver.

“”I love this job,” Valentino said..”But it is time  for me to step up to the plate and help my family.”

Word of Valentino’s move began to leak out late last week. At noon Saturday, Hobbins  sent out a news release saying he would run, if Valentino did

indeed announce she wouldn’t be seeking re-election.

At 9:30 p.m. Saturday evening, Chenette announced he was in the race.

Hobbins, a longtime Saco attorney, has represented District 14 in the Maine House, which includes part of Saco, since 2012. He has served several terms in the Maine Senate, from 1988 to 1990, and from 2004 to 2012. He was the Senate Democratic Floor Leader from 2010 to 2012.

Chenette is serving his second term in the Maine House of Representatives, serving House District 15. He is a digital advertising executive with the Journal Tribune and owns Chenette Media LLC.

Lots more to read on this story and others in Monday’s Journal Tribune