AUGUSTA — Facing a choice between an establishment candidate and a conservative voice, Maine Republicans in a key state Senate district have chosen the more moderate candidate, four-term state Rep. Patrick Flood, over teacher and small-business owner Ryan Wheaton, reports The Kennebec Journal.

Monday’s nomination pushed the party toward its goal of filling its slate of candidates in legislative districts across the state for the fall elections. The parties have until next Monday to find replacements for the 48 candidates who dropped out following the June primaries.

Republicans are trying to hold on to their 19-15 edge in the Senate and 77-71 majority in the House. Each chamber also has one independent, and the House has two vacancies.

GOP Sen. Earle McCormick’s decision to withdraw in Senate District 21 set the stage for a nomination contest between Flood, a mainstream Republican whose work on state budget required negotiating with Democrats, and Wheaton, a West Gardiner resident who had backing of Ron Paul supporters and the evangelical Christian Civic League of Maine. In the end, Flood beat Wheaton 214-130 in the vote by the district’s town committee members.

With his caucus nomination, Flood will face David Bustin of Hallowell, a former state representative and state personnel chief, in November.

In another closely watched race, Maeghan Maloney of Augusta defeated fellow Democrat Alan Kelley for their party’s nomination for Kennebec and Somerset counties’ district attorney in a vote Sunday night in Skowhegan.

Maloney won the Democratic nomination for the state House of Representatives seat she holds, but withdrew following the primary to run for district attorney. Kelley, of West Gardiner, has been acting district attorney since Evert Fowle left to fill a judicial post.

Maloney’s 157-130 win means she’ll face Republican Darrick Banda of Manchester in the fall election.