Cianchette announces candidacy for Maine State Senate

With hundreds of locals packed in for a busy Saturday night in February, Kenneth “Kenny” Cianchette took the stage for a different kind of announcement.

Kenneth 'Kenny' Cianchette of Windham is
running for the Maine State Senate District 26
seat as a Republican and seeking to represent
the towns of Casco, Frye Island, Raymond,
Windham and part of Westbrook.
SUBMITTED PHOTO

“Maine’s systemic problems are not being resolved because Augusta is not addressing the issues they were elected to handle,” Cianchette said. “I’m done complaining about it, and I’ve decided to run for the Maine State Senate.”

Cianchette, the owner of Erik’s Church, a live music-themed restaurant, bar, and venue in Windham, is a lifelong Mainer. A graduate of Cheverus High School and the University of Maine in Orono with a degree in economics, he worked as a project manager before opening the restaurant in 2018.

“The restaurant industry in Maine is tough. Profitability is both hard to achieve and even harder to maintain,” Cianchette said. “We are vacationland due to the exceptional conduct of our small businesses in the hospitality sector. The hardships our government continues to put on our small business economy, to both our working class and our small business owners, which has led to the closure of many of our most iconic, local businesses, needs to end.”

He said his parents taught him that, as a business owner, you are the last one to get paid.

“Your vendors, obligations, and employees must be compensated first. Unfortunately, not only have our small business operators failed to thrive in our economic environment, but our incredible team members are hurting as well,” Cianchette said. “Mainers are struggling to balance their household budgets, and our government is bragging about tax ‘surpluses.’ This is not the way life should be.”

In addition to his role as founder and lead mechanic at Erik’s Church, he has coached high school football for 12 years, assisting with winning seasons every year. Cianchette is an active member of the community with his business, as the business has hosted a number of events over the last few years to raise monies for organizations and charities such as Windham’s Neighbors Helping Neighbors, the Walk a Mile in Their Shoes Foundation, Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital, and the Travis Mills Foundation, and he has contributed toward dozens of other great organizations, teams, schools, and purposes. He was the 2018 Community Leadership Award Recipient and Erik’s Church was the 2023 Business of the Year Award Winner from the Sebago Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce.

Cianchette will be on the ballot on Nov. 5 as a Republican to represent the workers, parents, leaders, and Mainers of District 26, which includes the towns of Casco, Frye Island, Raymond, Windham, and the city of Westbrook.

The District 26 State Senate seat is currently held by incumbent Democrat Tim Nangle of Windham. <