AUGUSTA, Maine (AP)   Maine’s Secretary of State says a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate can remain in the race despite the fact that a number of the signatures on his candidate petition are from people who died several years ago.

Secretary Matt Dunlap ruled more than 200 signatures were invalid on Max Linn’s candidate petition, but said Thursday that he had turned in enough valid signatures. The Portland Press Herald reports Linn is running against Republican state Sen. Eric Brakey for the chance to challenge incumbent independent U.S. Sen. Angus King.

Brakey’s political director David Boyer says the campaign was considering an appeal of Dunlap’s decision. Linn alleges that the Brakey campaign attempted to sabotage his candidate petition, which Brakey denies.

Dunlap says Linn’s allegation is “pure speculation.”