By SANDY McGEE

CUMBERLAND — After essentially losing the tiebreaker last week, James N. McLaughlin has announced his intention to wage a write-in campaign as an independent for an at-large seat on the Town Council.

He has also accepted a challenge from the man who won that tiebreaker to face off in a public debate.
McLaughlin deadlocked with incumbent Bruce Lemois at 2,855 votes each in the Sept. 9 Democratic primary. The local Board of Canvassers subsequently interpreted state law as giving tiebreaking authority to the town’s Democratic Party Committee.
Last week, the committee voted 25-15 in favor of Lemois, who they had endorsed prior to the primary.
McLaughlin’s legal challenge to the committee’s right to decide was rejected by Superior Court Judge Judith Savage on Sept. 25.
Based on Savage’s decision, Lemois and fellow incumbent James Higgins will be the only two names on the November ballot. Higgins finished first in the three-way primary, garnering 3,120 votes. There are two at-large seats on the Cumberland Town Council.
As to his next move, McLaughlin said in a written statement, “I am declaring my candidacy as an independent for the at-large Town Council seat. I thank so many people for their overwhelming support and I ask them to join me in this new challenge … I can assure you and the majority of the Democrat town machine that I will be knocking on all doors, regardless of party affiliation.”
Lemois responded with a written statement of his own.
“Mr. McLaughlin decided to enter the Democratic primary and the people’s vote was counted, ending in a tie,” Lemois wrote. “He (McLaughlin) decided to bring this situation to court and the court approved the tie breaker, allowing the primary to be finalized. So, obviously, Mr. McLaughlin has the right to now enter a write-in campaign as an independent.
“At least this will give us the opportunity to discuss the issues in a formal debate setting, where we are held accountable for what we have to say. I look forward to making these arrangements as soon as possible as it is important to take this to the people.”
“I will debate him anytime, anywhere,” McLaughlin said in response to the debate invitation. “In all fairness, it’s not about me. If the voters have the opportunity to vote, I will have accomplished something.”
McLaughlin, an Army veteran of the Vietnam War, is a retired auto mechanic. He is a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and a grand knight of the Knights of Columbus. He has never held town office.
Lemois, past president of the Berkeley Fire District and a member of the Democratic Town Committee for the past 17 years, is seeking his second term in office. He is employed as an operations manager for ASI Inc. in East Providence. He has attended Northeastern University in Boston.