AUBURN — Kimberly Sampson, a dental hygienist and recent law school graduate, announced her campaign for Maine Senate District 20 on Friday.

Sampson, an Auburn resident and Democrat, will run against Sen. Eric Brakey, R-Auburn, who is in his first term.

The district also includes Minot, Mechanic Falls and Poland.

“My great-grandfather, Amedee Gobeil, emigrated from Canada. He followed the railroad tracks to Auburn, opened a small business, and alongside my great-grandmother, raised nine girls. My grandparents worked at the shoe mills and provided for a family of five. My parents get up at 3 a.m. every morning and have done so for over 35 years. By any measure, my folks are hard workers and they did it all so I could have better opportunities,” Sampson said in a prepared statement.  

“My family’s story is the story of many hardworking families in this district. I’m running for the state Senate because we need representation in Augusta that reflects our deep heritage and the values that generations of our families instilled in this area.”

Sampson attended Eastgate Christian Academy in New Gloucester until ninth grade, before graduating from Edward Little High School in 1997. After high school, she attended Central Maine Community College, ultimately obtaining her associate’s degree in dental hygiene from the University of New England.

Sampson also earned a bachelor’s degree in communication from the University of Southern Maine and a juris doctorate from University of Maine School of Law.

Before law school, Sampson worked as the executive director of Project Stretch: Dentistry Reaching Out To Children, a nonprofit that provides dental care to underprivileged children domestically and abroad. During her tenure, she helped coordinate over 10 international and domestic humanitarian missions, according to the release announcing her campaign.

Sampson has a long history of being active at East Auburn Baptist Church, performing with various worship teams and productions, the release states.