Two Knox County representatives will face each other for a state Senate seat.

Third-term Rep. Christopher Rector, R-Thomaston, and first-term Rep. David Miramant, D-Camden are running for the seat being vacated by Sen. Christine Savage, R-Union, who is termed out.

Election results in recent years have been close. In 2006, Savage beat Rockland Democrat Scott Barrows 8,845 to 7,995.

Rector said he wants to go to the Senate to “continue the work I have started.”

Rector, a member of the Business, Research and Economic Development Committee, said he wants to focus on ensuring a sustainable economic climate on the Midcoast. He also will focus on increasing community college access.

S.D. 22 includes several islands. He said he recognizes and addresses the issues islanders face, such as keeping the ferry going, but at the same time: “Islands want the state to leave them alone, I think we do that.”

Rector said he is confident he can win, but “any candidate who isn’t running scared isn’t running well.”

Miramant said the Senate needs a few more voices, especially after seeing the body reject last year’s tax reform package after it passed in the House.

For him, tax reform is a top priority, and long overdue. Beyond that he hopes to continue his work on the Natural Resources Committee, and maybe even score a seat on the Marine Resources Committee as well.

Miramant said he is an avid outdoorsman.

“I’ve been crewing on boats since I was 14,” he said.

Miramant said he looks forward to working with a smaller partisan caucus.

“The intimacy of the group there makes me feel like I have more of a voice in the bills coming through,” Miramant said.