Two Republicans are seeking their party's nomination to challenge incumbent Democratic U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree in Maine's 1st Congressional District in the primary election June 14. Both Mark Holbrook and Ande Smith are first-time candidates for the nomination and one will face off against Democratic incumbent Chellie Pingree who has been in office since 2009.

Smith, a lawyer and Navy reserve officer from North Yarmouth, is running for Congress because his years of military, legal, business and volunteer experience qualify him to provide the common sense, practical solutions our country needs desperately, he said.

“I felt like this was the right time for me even as a political outsider to run,” said Smith. “The issues at stake are that important.”

Particular issues of Smith’s are matters of national security and the ongoing threat of Islamic Jihadist and the instability of the Middle East.

“The root cause of many of these threats is the fact the United States has pulled back from the world stage in the last eight years,” said Smith. “Our foes don't fear us and our allies don't trust that we're willing to step up to honor our commitments.”

According to campaign material provided by the candidate, Smith — a father of five — has committed his life to service by tutoring high school students, serving on the board of Big Brothers Big Sisters in Topsham, teaching Sunday school, and leading a Cub Scout den. In addition, he is serving on the Maine State Board of Education and as the vice chairman of the Maine Charter School Commission. Smith was appointed by Maine Gov. Paul LePage.

Smith is also a supporter of the Second Amendment, immigration reform, and is in favor of block grants for education.

His opponent, Mark Holbrook, is a Brunswick-based psychologist and a former lobsterman and commercial diver. Holbrook considers himself a true outsider who is a champion of both the Constitution and gun rights. He decided to get involved in politics four years ago while watching the evening news with his daughter.

“It was a segment with Obama speaking on the Affordable Care Act,” said Holbrook. “When it was over my 9-year-old daughter turned to me and said, ‘Daddy, that man is lying.’”

He described the moment as a bolt of lightning and after consulting his family, Holbrook decided to throw his hat in the ring, first as an activist for conservative causes and then a candidate.

“Immigration is absolutely on the minds of the people of the first district,” he said. “They look at our veterans not being able to get the services they need while we allow illegal immigrants to come in and get a lifetime of entitlements much faster than American citizens can.”

His resume includes stints as a volunteer fireman, Sunday school teacher and social worker. His years in law enforcement taught him a lot about people and his two years on the psychiatric unit at the Super Maximum security prison taught him a lot about compassion, according to his campaign website.

The victor of the primary will face a steep challenge in defeating the incumbent Pingree but both Smith and Holbrook feel that in the year of Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders, an outsider is a good thing to be.

“Any incumbent can be beaten at the right time by the right person with the right message, that's a fact,” said Smith.

Maine’s 1st Congressional District is the geographically smaller of the two congressional districts in the state. The district covers the southern coastal area of the state. It consists of all of Cumberland, Knox, Lincoln, Sagadahoc and York counties and most of Kennebec County.

Located within the district are the cities of Portland, Augusta, Brunswick and Saco. The polls will be open on June 14 from 8 a.m to 8 p.m. at both the Boothbay town office and the Boothbay Harbor municipal building.

For more information on the candidates and their platforms, visit www.andeformaine.com and holbrook2016.net.