LEWISTON — Independent candidate for governor Eliot Cutler emphasized the political importance of Maine’s second-biggest city Tuesday as he officially opened a campaign office at 218 Lisbon St.

Cutler is running against 2nd District U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud, a Democrat, and Republican Gov. Paul LePage. Cutler now has offices in the state’s three largest cities: Portland, Bangor and Lewiston.

The Lewiston office is across from the Lewiston Public Library. The office was once Michaud’s campaign office. It was also campaign headquarters this year for state Sen. Troy Jackson, an Allagash Democrat. He lost his bid to be the party’s nominee to replace Michaud to state Sen. Emily Cain, D-Orono, in the June primary.

The Maine Democratic Party and the Maine Republican Party also have campaign offices in Lewiston or Auburn. The Democrats opened an office on Lisbon Street in April and maintain 31 offices statewide.

Cutler said the opening of the office Tuesday was an important milestone in his campaign because the Lewiston-Auburn area is an important battleground and has been considered key in statewide elections in the past.

In 1994, voters in both cities selected independent candidate Angus King. King won Auburn with 48 percent of the vote, outpacing Democrat Joseph Brennan by more than 1,000 votes. He also bested Brennan in Lewiston with 42 percent of the tally. King went on to win statewide with 35 percent of the vote, edging out Brennan who got 33.8 percent. Republican candidate Susan Collins got 23 percent of the vote and Green Party candidate Jonathan Carter got 6 percent.

King announced his support for Cutler earlier this month.

Cutler said Tuesday that he had a broad coalition of supporters in the region, including Democrats, Republicans and independent voters from Androscoggin and Oxford counties.

“It’s a very, very important area for me,” Cutler said. “Here, and about 341 other places in Maine.”

sthistle@sunjournal.com