Paul LePage wins Maine’s 2nd Congressional District after ranked choice count
The former governor defeated Democratic state auditor Matt Dunlap in a race that became the only blue to red congressional flip not driven by redistricting.
By Nikolai Morales ·
In a rare exception to the Democratic wave in the 2026 midterms, Maine’s 2nd congressional district shifted from Democratic to Republican control. The Associated Press called the race on Thursday following the completion of the ranked choice voting process.
Paul LePage, a former Republican governor, won the seat previously held by Rep. Jared Golden. Golden, a Democrat, is retiring from Congress. LePage defeated Matt Dunlap, the state auditor and the Democratic nominee. This victory stands out because it was the only congressional seat to change party control without the influence of redistricting.
The result follows a national trend where Democrats gained 44 seats. A few races remain undecided. In contrast, Texas’ 32nd and Tennessee’s 9th districts also flipped from blue to red, but those changes were facilitated by redistricting maps that shifted the electorate toward more conservative areas.
Dunlap conceded the election last week, and LePage declared his victory shortly after. LePage has since traveled to Washington, D.C., for new member orientation. Brent Littlefield, a spokesperson for LePage, stated that the new representative is already working on behalf of Mainers.
The 2nd district covers a large portion of the state, including small cities and extensive rural and forested regions. The area supports industries such as logging, potato farming, and lobster fishing. This district is more conservative than most of New England. The 1st district, which includes Portland and wealthy coastal towns, remains heavily Democratic.
Golden served four terms in the district. He built his political career by running as a moderate Democrat willing to diverge from party lines. He announced last year that he would not seek a fifth term, citing exhaustion with the incivility in American public life.
LePage served as governor from 2010 to 2018. While most of his tenure predated the current administration, he aligned with President Donald Trump near the end of his term. LePage described himself as a conservative populist who preceded Trump in popularity. However, he recently criticized Trump’s tariffs on Canada, a major trading partner for Maine, and expressed support for legal immigration. Upon declaring victory, LePage promised to prioritize state interests in the federal government.
