Matt Dunlap wins primary in Maine's battleground 2nd District

Matt Dunlap won the Democratic superior successful Maine's 2nd Congressional District aft 3 rounds of ranked-choice voting, the state's Secretary of State's bureau announced Friday. 

Democrats are seeking to bent onto a spot successful a territory that President Trump won successful the past 3 statesmanlike elections. State Sen. Joe Baldacci led aft the archetypal 2 rounds of ranked–choice voting, but Dunlap overtook him aft challengers Paige Loud and Jordan Wood were eliminated. 

Democratic Rep. Jared Golden, a moderate, is retiring aft 4 terms. His determination not to tally for reelection was a stroke to Democrats' efforts to retake the House majority. 

In the 2024 election, Golden was 1 of 13 Democrats to triumph a House contention successful a territory besides won by Mr. Trump. Golden declined to endorse Kamala Harris successful the 2024 predetermination and has voted with Republicans connected respective issues, including measures to avert a shutdown and connected reining successful Mr. Trump's warfare powers authority. 

Dunlap, the state's auditor, volition look Republican Paul LePage successful November's wide election. LePage is simply a erstwhile two-term politician who ran unopposed successful the GOP primary. As of May 20, LePage had $1.2 cardinal currency connected manus portion Dunlap had little than $100,000, according to Federal Election Commission data.

Dunlap's triumph marks a decision for House Democrats' run arm. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee endorsed Joe Baldacci, a authorities senator, saying helium "has ne'er mislaid an predetermination and has consistently overperformed Democrats up and down the ballot, including a 3-point overperformance of the statesmanlike summons successful 2024." 

Baldacci was the runner–up, the Maine Secretary of State's bureau said. The results were announced 10 days aft voters went to the polls owed to the ranked-choice tabulations.