JONESPORT — The members of Maine’s largest union representing lobstermen endorsed Democratic state Senate candidate Eloise Vitelli in the upcoming special election for Senate District 19.

Vitelli, of Arrowsic, is in a three-way race with Republican Paula Benoit, of Phippsburg and Green Independent Daniel Stromgren of Topsham.

 The International Association of Machinist—Maine Lobstering Union, Local 207 which formed in January earlier this year, represents approximately 500 lobstermen from Cutler to Kittery.

“Lobstermen are like the thousands of working Mainers across our state; we get up every day to make a living but we just happen to punch our clock a little earlier,” Rock Alley, the IMLU, Local 207 President said in a prepared statement. “We know that Eloise Vitelli understands the working person and will stand up for us and represent us in Augusta.”

The IMLU was a strong voice this past legislative session advocating on behalf of the lobstermen in Sagadahoc County who wanted to continue catching their own alewife to be used as bait.

“Lobstering is like so many other small businesses — we work hard each day to make a living,” Alley said. “Eloise will stand with us each step of the way.”

The special election for Senate District 19 is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 27th.

The seat became open when state Sen. Seth Goodall, D-Richmond resigned to take a post with the Northeast region of the U.S. Small Business Association.

District 19 includes Arrowsic, Bath, Bowdoin, Bowdoinham, Georgetown, Perkins Twp., Phippsburg, Richmond, Topsham, West Bath, and Woolwich in Sagadahoc County; and

Dresden in Lincoln County.