AUGUSTA – Former U.S. President Barack Obama endorsed three Democratic candidates running for the Maine Senate in a tweet Wednesday. Making Obama’s first round of endorsements for the 2018 election were Louis Luchini, Linda Sanborn and Laura Fortman. Luchini, an outgoing state representative from Ellsworth and Republican state Rep. Richard Malaby, of Hancock are running for the open state Senate District 7 seat, which is being vacated by Sen.