Republicans secured a rare blue-to-red congressional pickup in Maine’s 2nd district during the midterm elections, marking a singular conservative gain nationwide outside of redistricting adjustments.
Former Republican governor Paul LePage defeated Matt Dunlap, the Democratic state auditor, following a ranked-choice voting process. The Associated Press called the race on Thursday, filling the seat vacated by retiring Democratic Representative Jared Golden.
The victory stands out on a congressional map where Democrats flipped 44 seats nationwide. While Texas’ 32nd district and Tennessee’s 9th district also switched from blue to red, those shifts relied on redistricting efforts that drew more conservative electorates.
Maine features just two congressional districts, with the 1st district leaning heavily Democratic around Portland and coastal areas. The 2nd district spans vast rural expanses, forests, and small cities dependent on logging, potato farming, and lobster fishing.
Golden successfully held the seat by operating as a moderate Democrat willing to break with party leadership. However, he announced last year that he would not run for a fifth term.
Golden said he had “grown tired of the increasing incivility and plain nastiness that are now common from some elements of our American community.”
LePage served as governor from 2010 to 2018, establishing a record of brash populism that aligned closely with Donald Trump during his later years in office. During his gubernatorial tenure, LePage once said that he was “Donald Trump before Donald Trump became popular.”
Despite that political alignment, LePage previously split with Trump over trade policy, criticizing federal tariffs on Canada as damaging to Maine’s cross-border economy. He has also expressed support for legal immigration.
Following the finalization of the ranked-choice tally, LePage traveled to Washington for orientation sessions for incoming members of Congress.
“Paul LePage is already hard at work for the people of Maine,” said Brent Littlefield, a spokesperson for LePage.
When LePage claimed victory after the state completed its voting tabulation, he outlined his legislative approach for representing the district.
“If it is good for Maine, I will work hard to make it happen. If it is bad for Maine, I will oppose it,” LePage declared.
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