A state representative from Windham faces a challenge from a candidate who says he wants to bring an outside perspective to Augusta.

Rep. Mark Bryant, a Democrat who has served five nonconsecutive terms in the Legislature, is running for re-election in House District 24. His opponent is Ben Martin, a Republican who works in online commerce and is seeking elective office for the first time.

House District 24 covers the northern part of Windham.

Bryant worked for Sappi Fine Paper for most of his career and has lived in Windham for 30 years. In his current term, he is on the Legislature’s Transportation and State and Local Government committees and the House Ethics Committee.

In a Portland Press Herald survey, Bryant said he is running for re-election “to be an advocate for all constituents and devote my time to public service.”

“I enjoy the legislative process of helping pass laws that will move Maine forward,” he wrote.

Bryant said he supports a proposal on the Nov. 8 ballot to raise the state’s minimum wage from $7.50 to $12 an hour by 2020. He opposes two ballot questions, which would require background checks for private gun sales in Maine and legalize recreational marijuana for adults.

“I grew up in Oxford County and have lived in Maine all of my life,” Bryant said of background checks. “Hunting and fishing have been a tradition for many generations in my family. I am concerned about the unintended consequences of the language on background checks for privately sold firearms.”

Martin had not responded to a Portland Press Herald survey about his personal experiences and political positions as of Wednesday, but some information was available on his website and Vote Smart page.

According to his online biography, Martin grew up in Auburn and worked out of state for General Electric for two years after graduating from college. He then returned to Maine and now works in online commerce. His website describes the state’s economy is his top priority.

“After graduating from the University of Maine, Ben would have preferred to stay in his home State, but due to the job climate he had to look southward for opportunity,” the website says. “Ben’s experience is unfortunately all too common among young people emerging from Maine’s colleges and universities.”

According to Martin’s Vote Smart profile, he opposes background checks for private gun sales and an increase in the minimum wage.

Both candidates are publicly funded under Maine’s Clean Election Act, which limits private contributions and provides $5,000 to $15,000 in public funding to candidates for the House.

Campaign finance reports show Bryant had spent $8,014 as of Sept. 20. He had received $1,000 in seed money contributions and $8,000 in Clean Election money, so his cash balance was roughly $985 at the end of that period.

Martin had received $515 in seed money contributions and nearly $5,500 in Clean Election funding as of Sept. 20, and he had spent nearly $4,427 on his campaign. At the end of that period, his cash balance was roughly $1,587.

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