David Levesque (Johnathan Riley photo)
David Levesque, D-Newcastle, believes the culmination of skills he’s developed from decades practicing law and living in Lincoln County will lend itself well if he is elected to the Lincoln County Board of Commissioners.
“I’m here in 2024 going for an office that I think could benefit from my advocacy skills and my philosophies,” he said.
Levesque is seeking to represent District 3, which consists of Alna, Damariscotta, Dresden, Jefferson, Newcastle, Somerville, Whitefield, and Hibberts Gore, in an uncontested election in November. Mary Trescot, who has held the seat for three four-year terms, is not seeking reelection.
The Lincoln County Commissioners oversees countywide programs and issues, including the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, the Lincoln County Emergency Management Agency, and the recycling plant.
The commission also oversees the administrative staff and policy for probate court, registry of deeds, and the district court in Wiscasset. The three-member board also has the responsibility to prepare an annual budget for the county.
Levesque said someone suggested he consider running for the role of county commissioner. While he considered the thought, he researched the current board members and found the shortest tenured member had been there for 12 years.
“I thought, you know, it’s time for fresh ideas, new ideas, younger perspective, and so I decided sure, why don’t I go for it?” he said.
Levesque hopes to create more connection between what the commission does and residents of the county. He believes by virtue of being a visible figure in the community, he can help shorten that divide by “not waiting for the community to go to the county but for the county to go to the community.”
“I’m hoping to find time to meet with select boards from various communities in my district and to try and set an example for the other commissioners and hope they do the same,” he said.
Levesque is a former president of the Maine State Bar Association in 2015, and a state bar delegate to the American bar association’s House of Delegates. He has been a member of the American Bar Association for 24 years.
When he tells his colleagues at a national level that he lives and works in the community he serves, Levesque said he gets incredulous responses.
“I love it,” he said. “People see me at the market and I’ve just like cleaned the lawnmower and grubby or whatever, they know I’m human. I tell clients too, I’m not a TV attorney, I’m not a movie attorney, I’m a person and that’s what I like.”
Outside of his work within law, Levesque is on the board of The Carpenter’s Boat Shop in Bristol, served as a Newcastle Select Board member from 2021 until 2022, been on the Damariscotta-Newcastle Broadband Committee 2021 until 2023, and sat on the board of what is now the Damariscotta Region Chamber of Commerce and Information Bureau from 2004 until 2010.
Levesque has previously sought state offices. In 2020, Levesque ran to represent House District 90, which at the time consisted of Bremen, Bristol, Damariscotta, Monhegan, Newcastle, part of Nobleboro, and part of South Bristol. He ultimately came in third in the Democratic primary behind Wendy Pieh and Rep. Lydia Crafts, D-Newcastle, who ultimately won the seat.
Two years later, Levesque sought the Democratic nomination for Senate District 13, which consists of all of Lincoln County except Dresden, as well as Washington and Windsor. He lost to Sen. Cameron Reny, D-Bristol, who was ultimately elected to the seat.
Levesque grew up in Ellsworth where his family was involved in the maritime industry. He has lived in Newcastle since 2000 with his wife, Susan, and three sons, Luke, Austin, and Joseph. His home on Glidden Street in Newcastle is a 10-minute walk from his Damariscotta office on Main Street.
“I feel such a strong sense of community because of those connections, which all adds up to my interest in public service and politics,” he said.
Levesque attended the University of Maine at Farmington, University of Southern Maine for his MBA, and earned his law degree from the University of Maine School of Law.
While Levesque doesn’t have much free time on his hands, he said he does get the chance to indulge in woodworking and carving.
“It’s all rudimentary stuff, but sometime I can, if I’m not pressed for time, pass four or five hours without even knowing it,” he said.
The election is Tuesday, Nov. 5.
