Matt Dunlap Wins Maine's Battleground 2nd District Primary

Matt Dunlap has secured the Democratic nomination in Maine's closely watched 2nd Congressional District, following a nail-biting primary decided by three rounds of ranked-choice voting. The state's Secretary of State's office announced the results Friday.

Democrats are fighting to hold onto this seat in a district that has leaned Republican in recent presidential elections, having voted for President Trump in the last three contests. State Sen. Joe Baldacci initially led after the first two rounds of voting, but Dunlap ultimately surpassed him once challengers Paige Loud and Jordan Wood were eliminated from contention.

The retirement of incumbent Democratic Rep. Jared Golden, a moderate who served four terms, created an open seat and dealt a blow to Democratic efforts to regain the House majority. Golden was one of a handful of Democrats who won in districts carried by Mr. Trump in 2024. He notably declined to endorse Kamala Harris and has occasionally voted with Republicans on key issues, including averting government shutdowns and challenging presidential war powers.

Dunlap, currently the state's auditor, now faces a significant challenge in the November general election against Republican Paul LePage. LePage, a former two-term governor, ran unopposed in his party's primary. Campaign finance data as of May 20 showed LePage with a substantial fundraising advantage, reporting $1.2 million cash on hand, compared to Dunlap's less than $100,000.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee had backed Baldacci, highlighting his consistent electoral success and ability to outperform the national ticket. However, Dunlap's victory represents a setback for the committee's preferred candidate. The final results took 10 days to tabulate due to the complexities of the ranked-choice voting system.