Paul LePage wins Maine’s 2nd District after ranked-choice count

AUGUSTA, Maine — Former Gov. Paul LePage, a Republican, won Maine’s 2nd Congressional District on Thursday, beating Democrat Matt Dunlap after a ranked-choice tabulation, according to unofficial results from the secretary of state’s office. LePage, who declared victory last week, beat Dunlap, the state auditor, by nearly 5,500 votes, finishing with 50.8% of votes to 49.2%. Blank and write-in ballots had left LePage just short of a majority on Maine’s first ballot, requiring the ranked-choice count in Augusta. His win flips the seat U.S. Rep. Jared Golden, a centrist Democrat, has held since 2019, in a district President Donald Trump carried three times. LePage will be the only Republican in Maine’s congressional delegation after a midterm in which Democrats ousted U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, kept the governor’s office and expanded their legislative majorities. The count was never likely to change the outcome. Dunlap conceded a week ago, when LePage led by about 5,400 first-choice votes.

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