BY MATTHEW STONE

Staff Writer

Democrats gave former Rep. Sharon Benoit of Monmouth a victory Tuesday in the Democratic primary for state Senate District 21.

Benoit captured 55 percent of the vote, beating former Gardiner Mayor Brian Rines.

Benoit will challenge Sen. Earle McCormick, R-West Gardiner.

Democrats seeking to hold a one-seat, 18-17 majority in the Senate are losing four incumbents to term limits while Republicans will lose just two.

Before McCormick won the seat in 2006, Democrats held the post the previous 16 years.

Benoit, 63, is a retired teacher and hospital development director. She served in the Maine House of Representatives from 1976 to 1984.

"I'm grateful for all the people who supported me and worked for me and voted for me," Benoit said Tuesday night. "I visited every town in the district. That, itself, was very rewarding."

Benoit called Rines a "formidable opponent."

By choosing Benoit, voters opted against a rematch of the 2006 race for the Senate seat that pitted Rines against McCormick, then a state representative. McCormick beat Rines by more than 700 votes in that race.

Benoit on Tuesday captured 1,609 votes to Rines' 1,293, according to unofficial results.

Rines said he does not plan to seek political office in the future.

"I've had my second dance and that's it," he said. "I'm going to keep busy. It just won't be an elected position."

He said he would support Benoit.

McCormick praised his Democratic opponents for running a spirited race.

"I'm looking forward to focusing on the winner," he said Tuesday night before learning of the results.

In her campaign, Benoit said she found many residents worried about the effects of a tepid economy and rising oil prices. Her next challenge comes Nov. 4.

"I'm happy," she said. "I look forward to November."

Matthew Stone -- 623-3811, Ext. 435

mstone@centralmaine.com