Updated

Updated · NBC News · Jun 10

R. Russell Wins Maine GOP House Primary With 53.9% as J. Wood Leads Democrats at 32.3%

Updated

Updated · NBC News · Jun 10

R. Russell Wins Maine GOP House Primary With 53.9% as J. Wood Leads Democrats at 32.3%

Q: What role will a former governor play now that a new Republican nominee has been chosen for the House race?

Former Gov. Paul LePage is expected to be the Republican standard-bearer in the general election for Maine’s 2nd Congressional District, where he would face the eventual Democratic nominee after that party’s ranked-choice count is completed. The primary results cited in the news story show R. Russell winning a Republican contest, but the broader reporting makes clear that LePage had already entered the race for the open House seat and is positioned to carry the party into the fall campaign. In practical terms, his role now is to campaign statewide within the district, use his name recognition and donor network, and try to win the seat formerly held by Rep. Jared Golden. LePage brings the profile of a two-term governor and has already framed his candidacy around jobs, taxes and government efficiency. He has also said he would work with Sen. Susan Collins if elected. National Republicans have highlighted his record as governor, and his established political base gives him an organizational advantage as Democrats finish sorting out their nominee through ranked-choice voting. So, with the Republican field settled, the former governor’s role is not as a behind-the-scenes figure but as the party’s leading candidate for the House seat in the general election.

3 articles · Updated · NBC News · Jun 10

R. Russell secured the Republican nomination outright with 3,390 votes, or 53.9%, defeating J. Pietrowicz’s 46.1% and avoiding any ranked-choice redistribution.
J. Wood led the Democratic field with 4,641 votes, or 32.3%, just ahead of J. Baldacci at 31.8% and M. Dunlap at 26.1%, leaving the race dependent on Maine’s ranked-choice count if no one clears 50%.
The open-seat contest emerged after Democratic Rep. Jared Golden chose to retire rather than defend a GOP-leaning district he had held for years.
Former Republican Gov. Paul LePage is running to succeed Golden, setting up a closely watched general-election fight in one of Maine’s most competitive House seats.