Maine State Auditor Matt Dunlap won the Democratic primary for the state's 2nd Congressional District on Friday, defeating a candidate backed by national party leaders in a race that exposed divisions within the Democratic Party. Dunlap emerged victorious from a ranked choice voting runoff to secure the nomination in a district that both parties have identified as one of the most competitive battlegrounds in the country.
The win represents a setback for House Democratic leadership, which had supported state Sen. Joe Baldacci over Dunlap during the primary. Dunlap will now face former Republican Gov. Paul LePage in the November general election, pitting a longtime Maine political figure against a well-known GOP standard-bearer in a seat that has shifted toward Republicans in recent cycles.
What the Left Is Saying
Progressive groups celebrated Dunlap's victory as a validation of their electoral strategy. Our Revolution, a political organization linked to Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, had backed Dunlap throughout the race. The candidate himself originally entered the contest to challenge Rep. Jared Golden before the incumbent announced he would not seek reelection in November.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee declined to comment on its preferred candidate's loss. Party strategists acknowledged that internal disagreements over candidate selection could complicate efforts to hold the seat this fall, though they emphasized that Dunlap will now receive full party support for the general election.
What the Right Is Saying
Republicans expressed confidence in their general election prospects following the primary results. The National Republican Congressional Committee pointed to former Rep. Jared Golden's decision not to run again as evidence that Democrats struggled to recruit a strong incumbent in a seat that has favored their party recently.
LePage, who served two terms as governor and launched an unsuccessful gubernatorial comeback bid in 2022, won the 2nd District even while losing statewide that year. The former governor remains popular with the Republican base and enters the general election as the GOP's nominee against Dunlap.
What the Numbers Show
President Donald Trump carried Maine's 2nd Congressional District three times, including by a 9-point margin in November 2024. In the June 9 Democratic primary, three candidates finished within 3 percentage points of each other: Dunlap, Baldacci and former congressional chief of staff Jordan Wood. A fourth candidate, Paige Loud, received approximately 10 percent of first-round votes.
Outside spending played a significant role in the race. Real Change PAC, which reportedly had ties to Republicans, spent more than $500,000 on advertising that attacked Baldacci while supporting Dunlap. The DCCC's backing of Baldacci did not translate to a primary victory for the state senator.
The Bottom Line
The general election matchup will test whether Maine's 2nd District remains competitive territory for Democrats or shifts firmly into Republican column without an incumbent. LePage enters as the better-known candidate in a district that has voted for Trump, while Dunlap must introduce himself to voters who may know him primarily from his tenure as state auditor and secretary of state. Both parties are expected to invest heavily in the race as they seek every possible advantage in control of the House.