Former Maine Governor Paul LePage is in Washington this week after declaring victory in his congressional race, even as the state’s ranked-choice count continues. LePage, a Republican, narrowly edged out Democratic rival Matt Dunlap in the race for Maine’s 2nd Congressional District, and Dunlap conceded on Thursday, November 5 — but the count goes on because Maine law requires it.
LePage received 170,263 first-choice votes, or 49.894 percent of the total, according to the Maine Secretary of State, while Dunlap received 164,845 votes, or 48.307 percent. Declared write-in candidates accounted for 123 votes, and 6,017 ballots left the race blank. That produced a first-choice lead of 5,418 votes for LePage. Because neither candidate reached a majority of all ballots cast, a ranked-choice tabulation kicked off on Monday morning at the Department of Public Safety headquarters in Augusta.
The only Republican flip of the midterms
The apparent victory by LePage would be the only flip from blue to red by House Republicans in a non-redistricted seat in the midterm elections. The seat became vacant after Democratic incumbent Jared Golden opted not to seek re-election earlier this year after four terms. The mostly rural district is the largest congressional district east of the Mississippi River by area and was won by President Donald Trump in all three of his presidential elections.
LePage was in the nation’s capital as the ranked-choice count got under way, and he took part on Tuesday in the vote by returning Republican lawmakers and newly elected House Republicans to choose the next minority leader. The tabulation is expected to finish on Friday, November 13, according to state officials. Both campaigns have indicated the count is not expected to alter the outcome, given the size of LePage’s first-choice margin relative to the remaining blank and write-in ballots.
The wider House picture
The Associated Press had Democrats on 254 House seats and Republicans on 162 as of 9pm Eastern on Sunday, November 8, with 19 seats still to be called. By Tuesday morning, November 10, other tallies put Democrats on 256 seats and Republicans on 169, with 10 races uncalled, reflecting calls made as counting continued. The final House majority will not be settled until states certify their results, but Democrats have already secured control of the chamber, which they will take over on January 3.
Related reading: House Races Still Uncalled as Maine Ranked-Choice Count Continues.
