AUGUSTA — A candidate facing a criminal charge related to his campaign finances is up against a candidate who apparently isn’t talking publicly about his campaign.

That’s the Republican primary race for House of Representatives District 57, which represents part of Augusta.

Michael Hein is running against Andrew Worcester to be the Republican candidate for House District 57, which includes most of northwest Augusta, bounded by Sidney on the north and Manchester to the west. The two live within three blocks of each other on Green Street.

The winner will face off against incumbent Democratic state Rep. Maeghan Maloney — maybe. Maloney has signed up to run again, but she may be replaced as a candidate because she is also running for Kennebec County district attorney.

Hein was recently summoned on a charge of attempted theft by deception by the state attorney general’s office for allegedly falsifying documents and using his own money to try to qualify for public campaign financing through the Maine Clean Election Act. Hein is accused of using his own money to reach the required donation threshold to qualify for public campaign financing and falsifying forms, which he submitted to the Maine Ethics Commission, confirming donors had given him the $5 contributions.

Hein, 42, said he is innocent, plans to fight the charges and does not plan to abandon his campaign for the House. He has a June 6 court date.

Meanwhile, multiple attempts to reach Worcester over the last few weeks for comment on his candidacy were not successful.

Several phone calls to Worcester’s cellphone number were not returned, a letter including a candidate questionnaire sent by regular mail to his home address was not returned, an email sent to an address listed as his email with the state Ethics Commission was not returned, a message left on his Facebook page didn’t generate a response and a knock on the door of his Augusta residence, where a note was left for him by a reporter, also didn’t yield a response.

Hein, whose previous campaigns for elected office have sometimes included confrontational exchanges with other candidates and even Republican party leaders, said in an interview that he has learned from past mistakes and is “trying to stay relentlessly positive” in his campaign. He just wants to help make Augusta a better place.

“I don’t want to speak ill of any of my opponents,” Hein said. “I’m just staying positive and being optimistic. … We’re all friends and neighbors and, after the election, we’re going to run into each other at Shaw’s.”

Hein has not previously held elected office but has twice sought election to the state House of Representatives, losing in the general election in 2004 to Democrat Arthur Lerman. In 2006, he lost in the primary to fellow Republican Rachel Ellis and during the campaign Hein accused Republican party leadership of working against him.

Hein said the biggest reason he decided to run again was he wants to provide great representation for his district.

“My overriding concern, the main reason I’m running, is I sensed a need for better representation than the district is getting,” Hein said. “I will work hard and provide outstanding constituent services and representation for the community. I’m not someone with an eye on higher office or what’s next. I’m very interested in representing my friends and neighbors.”

Hein, who previously worked as officer manager for the Christian Civic League of Maine before that employment ended in a dispute with the league in 2010, said that was simply one stop in his career and if people remember him for his role with the league, “I hope they remember me fondly.”

Hein said his religious views lead him to oppose same-sex marriage. He said while he believes in the citizen initiative process that will bring the issue to a statewide referendum vote, he fears it could be counterproductive to keep bringing the same issue back to voters repeatedly.

Hein expressed concern about state funding cuts to locally administered programs such as general assistance, and said he would be willing to cross party lines to vote against some state budget cuts if local communities would still be required to provide the same services without state funding.

Keith Edwards — 621-5647

[email protected]

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