We don’t have many occasions these days to share good news from the world of politics, but this definitely qualifies.

Sean Faircloth, the former executive director of the Secular Coalition for America, has filed the paperwork to run for governor of Maine. He hopes to succeed Paul LePage, a nationally known disgrace who will be term-limited out and whose positions and policies have been downright awful even when compared to his Republican peers.

Faircloth served for the past three years on the Bangor City Council, a stint that included time as the council’s chair (informally considered the town’s mayor). Before that, he was a State Representative from 1992-1994 and 2002-2008 (where he served as majority whip) and a State Senator from 1994-1996. In 2002, Faircloth ran for U.S. House but lost in the primaries.

Between his time in state government and city council, Faircloth headed up the SCA’s lobbying efforts on behalf of non-religious Americans and wrote a book called Attack of the Theocrats! How the Religious Right Harms Us All — and What We Can Do About It. So at least we won’t have to worry about how much he respects the First Amendment.

There are currently a dozen Democrats vying to replace LePage along with five Republicans and more than half a dozen Greens and Independents. The primary takes place June 12, and the November election will mark the first time Maine uses ranked-choice voting.

