Maine's 2nd District
Maine's rural northern House seat, the largest congressional district east of the Mississippi by area.
Last refreshed: 5 November 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Can LePage's 702-vote lead in Maine's 2nd District hold?
Timeline for Maine's 2nd District
Mentioned in: Peltola leads Sullivan by 0.3 points
US Midterms 2026Mentioned in: Susan Collins concedes to Troy Jackson
US Midterms 2026Mentioned in: Republican cash hides in liberal PACs
US Midterms 2026GOP-linked PACs meddle in Dem primary
US Midterms 2026Background
Republican Paul LePage led Democrat Matt Dunlap by 702 votes in Maine's 2nd District on Associated Press results compiled by FairVote on 4 November 2026, 154,923 to 154,221 with about 89% counted. The race was uncalled. The seat was open after Democrat Jared Golden said in November 2025 he would not run again. Dunlap won a primary in which a Republican-linked super PAC spent against his rival.
The district covers about 27,326 square miles of northern and western Maine, including Lewiston, Auburn, Bangor and Presque Isle, and dates from 1821. Maine splits its electoral votes by district, and Donald Trump carried this one in 2016, 2020 and 2024.
In 2018 it became the first US district where ranked-choice counting changed the winner: Golden overtook Republican Bruce Poliquin after later preferences were counted.
Who is winning Maine's 2nd District in 2026?
What area does Maine's 2nd District cover?
Why is Maine's 2nd District an open seat in 2026?
Why does Maine's 2nd District matter in presidential elections?
Written with AI from Lowdown's published reporting. Not individually reviewed by an editor. Updated 5 November 2026. Editorial standards.