Kenneth Cianchette

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Kenneth J. Cianchette

Republican Party

Candidate, Maine State Senate District 26

Elections and appointments

Last election

November 5, 2024

Next election

June 9, 2026

Education

Bachelor's

University of Maine, 2010

Personal

Birthplace

Portland, ME

Religion

Catholic

Profession

Business owner

Contact

Personal LinkedIn

Kenneth J. Cianchette (Republican Party) is running for election to the Maine State Senate to represent District 26. He declared candidacy for the Republican primary scheduled on June 9, 2026.^[source]

Biography

Kenneth J. Cianchette was born in Portland, Maine. He earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Maine in 2010. His career experience includes working as a business owner, general manager, property manager, and project manager. He has been affiliated with Chamber of Commerce and Hospitality Maine.

Elections

2026

See also: Maine State Senate elections, 2026

General election

The primary will occur on June 9, 2026. The general election will occur on November 3, 2026. General election candidates will be added here following the primary.

Democratic primary

Democratic primary for Maine State Senate District 26

Incumbent Timothy Nangle (D) is running in the Democratic primary for Maine State Senate District 26 on June 9, 2026.

		Candidate
	Submit photo	Timothy Nangle

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined.
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Republican primary

Republican primary for Maine State Senate District 26

Kenneth J. Cianchette (R) and Peter Violette (R) are running in the Republican primary for Maine State Senate District 26 on June 9, 2026.

		Candidate
		Kenneth J. Cianchette
	Submit photo	Peter Violette

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	There are no incumbents in this race.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Endorsements

Ballotpedia is gathering information about candidate endorsements. To send us an endorsement, click here.

2024

See also: Maine State Senate elections, 2024

General election

General election for Maine State Senate District 26

Incumbent Timothy Nangle defeated Kenneth J. Cianchette in the general election for Maine State Senate District 26 on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	Timothy Nangle (D)	52.0	12,124
		Kenneth J. Cianchette (R)	48.0	11,177

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 23,301
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic Primary for Maine State Senate District 26

The following candidates advanced in the ranked-choice voting election: Timothy Nangle in round 1 .

		Candidate	%	Total Votes	Transfer	Round eliminated
✔	Submit photo	Timothy Nangle	100	1,355	0	Advanced (1)

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,355
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.

Republican primary election

Republican Primary for Maine State Senate District 26

The following candidates advanced in the ranked-choice voting election: Kenneth J. Cianchette in round 1 .

		Candidate	%	Total Votes	Transfer	Round eliminated
✔		Kenneth J. Cianchette	100	1,345	0	Advanced (1)

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,345
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.

Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Cianchette in this election.

Campaign themes

2026

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

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2024

Kenneth J. Cianchette completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Cianchette's responses.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

A lifelong Mainer so far, I am running to push Augusta back into a sense of effective government through shared resolution to the most pressing of today's issues. As the founder, builder, owner, and operator of the region's latest 'Business of the Year' per the Sebago Lake Region Chamber of Commerce, with the ability to deal make to create incredible opportunities through shared vision, partnership, and work, I am shifting my focus to the lackluster performance of Augusta.

Though running as a Republican, I have proudly maintained an Independent status until this election for the last decade, as I believe political party affiliation is creating the wedge we see today. We will not agree on everything, but we can have a better functioning government than we have today through less negativity and identity politics, and more emphasis on today's issues.

I am brother, son, uncle, friend, employer, coach, and i consider myself a civic leader for our community of District 26. We have been proud of our representation in the Senate for the last number of years. District 26 is not leading right now, and I will promise to lead and be truthful to all Mainers on the status of our State and it's elected leaders. Let's stop breaking down our foundational goodness and start building bridges to prosperity.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• I am an expert, as compared to all others in the Senate, in understanding the challenges our small business operators and employees face. They range from lobster boats, to restaurants, to construction companies, firms, and even boutique hotels. I have spent my entire life in many capacities around this, and I know what works, what doesn't work, what's doing harm, and I believe deals can be made to better the outlook for all stakeholders of small business.
• Our government is necessary to provide services and functions to have a properly functioning society. The checks and balances of our government must be utilized when overzealous politicians become out of line. Furthermore, funding of our government should be only necessary, and as elected stewards of taxpayers dollars, we all are responsible for utilizing those funds wisely, not wastefully. All additional monies should be return to all those who pay taxes in Maine first, and we should be aiming to do that quickly as a result of the national energy and inflation crises.
• As a product of an affluent public, religious private, and university of Maine education, I have a unique background that can draw the pros and cons of each. We need to stop thinking of education as simply a manner of spending more money will make things better, but utilize innovative programs found at all of these types of institutions in a more productive and larger manner. Every Maine child deserves the opportunity to better their lives, but every Maine child will lead different lives, and we should rejoice and embrace that. We should invest in the programs, and educators, who make our next generation better prepared for entering the workforce, while thoughtfully balancing the funding.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Preservation and expansion of the opportunities of our small businesses which make us Vacationland. We have the best people on earth, in terms of quality of persons, determination, and work ethic. Let's reign in our bloated government and unleash our private sector to grow wages on their own, rather than through government mandate, so Mainers can once again afford to live in Maine.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Many people who are titans in their respective roles. Some have passed, others have not. I will keep that private, but many are Maine icons.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

Winston Churchill, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Dwight Eisenhower, JFK, and Ronald Reagan.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Understanding their roles, responsibilities, abilities, and constraints, while focusing on resolving issues through comprehensive ideas rather than bullet points given by party leaders.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

Ability to use reason, envision the ramifications of policy making, willingness to compromise if the product exceeds the current status for most if not all Mainers, and act in a civilized manner.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

You must be willing to do the right thing, regardless of consequences, and hold others to the same standard.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I shook things up to return back to the sense of professionalism once exhibited by most of Augusta in the 1990's and 2000's, with a new perspective to guide us to the future and ability to outperform other States.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

9/11, I was 13 years old

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

Landscaping. Summers.

What is your favorite book? Why?

Harry Potter books. Yeah, i said it.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Captain America

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Adele - Make you feel my love

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

Weight. But i'll be ok.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and state legislature?

As the constitution intended. The executive branch must execute the laws as written, with the authority to sign or veto laws. Emergency powers are necessary on emergencies only, and not a revolving line of credit on the whim of the governor.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

Our expenses and taxes will drive our working class into poverty, eliminate small businesses left and right until we look like a midwestern drive through town with chains everywhere, and California policies that are not successful or practical for our State with their sole benefit is to brag about ineffective infrastructure when we could have clean and vibrant economy through trust, innovation, and effort.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

Yes and no. It depends on the situation. Term limits are a great thing, and people should never enter politics until they have accomplished a major achievement in their personal or professional life. To each their own on what that means.

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

Absolutely. We are being hired to do a job, which is to create good policies, bills, and laws, while holding our institutions accountable. Not every problem is a left vs right thing, sometimes its a right vs wrong thing, and I believe we have many more good people in Maine than other States have. That includes in Augusta. There has just been some misguidance for one reason or another.

Is there a particular legislator, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

Churhill historically and globally. Bill Diamond locally. To be a true centrist that has core principles that all should share such as a properly sized government, with proper funding.

Are you interested in running for a different political office (for example, the U.S. Congress or governor) in the future?

At this time no.

Both sitting legislators and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

I own a business that has roughly 40 working class employees who also have a second job or are going to school at the same time. I applaud all of their efforts, but the biggest issue I know that affects them is how to afford living in Maine and the lack of ability to build wealth. We need to fix our taxes and energy policies first to help alleviate that.

Tell us your favorite joke.

Knock knock, Whose there? Interrupting Cow. Interrupting Cow wh... MOOOOOO

My nephew loves that one.

Should the legislature oversee or grant the use of emergency powers?

No more than 7 days at a time. If it is a time for an emergency, then the legislature should get their tails to Augusta to deal with it.

What is the first bill you would introduce if elected?

Elimination of income tax on the first $75,000 of gross earned income. This is moderate, significant, and we can afford it through our current 'surpluses' and cutting certain government spending. I do not believe, for one minute, that the State of Maine cannot afford to make any cuts to government spending.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Working on that. Ryan Larkins though!

What committees interest you?

Oversight of the Transporation, Veterans and Legal Affairs, DHHS, Taxation, Small Business, Environment, and Energy. They all are in critical need of reform.

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

Every elected official should be held accountable for all of their actions, and inactions, at the ballot box. Honesty is always the best policy, and though I cannot possibly be heard by every constituent on every single item that crosses my desk, any questions will be answered honestly and with my opinion and accompanying justification. I may be wrong, but i won't be dishonest.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Campaign finance summary

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Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

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Kenneth J. Cianchette campaign contribution history

Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2024	Maine State Senate District 26	Lost general	$69,684	$67,194
Grand total			$69,684	$67,194
Sources: OpenSecrets,  Federal Election Commission ***This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

See also

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Footnotes

[show]

Current members of the Maine State Senate

Leadership

Senate President:Matthea Daughtry

Majority Leader:Teresa Pierce

Minority Leader:Harold Stewart

Senators

District 1

Susan Bernard (R)

District 2

Harold Stewart (R)

District 3

Bradlee Farrin (R)

District 4

Stacey Guerin (R)

District 5

Russell Black (R)

District 6

Marianne Moore (R)

District 7

Nicole Grohoski (D)

District 8

Mike Tipping (D)

District 9

Joe Baldacci (D)

District 10

David Haggan (R)

District 11

Glenn Curry (D)

District 12

Anne Beebe-Center (D)

District 13

Cameron Reny (D)

District 14

Craig Hickman (D)

District 15

Richard Bradstreet (R)

District 16

Scott Cyrway (R)

District 17

Jeffrey Timberlake (R)

District 18

Richard Bennett (I)

District 19

Joseph Martin (R)

District 20

Bruce Bickford (R)

District 21

Margaret Rotundo (D)

District 22

James Libby (R)

District 23

Matthea Daughtry (D)

District 24

Denise Tepler (D)

District 25

Teresa Pierce (D)

District 26

Timothy Nangle (D)

District 27

Jill Duson (D)

District 28

Rachel Talbot Ross (D)

District 29

Anne Carney (D)

District 30

Stacy Brenner (D)

District 31

Donna Bailey (D)

District 32

Henry Ingwersen (D)

District 33

Matthew Harrington (R)

District 34

Joseph Rafferty (D)

District 35

Mark Lawrence (D)

Democratic Party (20)

Republican Party (14)

Independent (1)