PORTLAND, Maine — Democratic Rep. Jared Golden won reelection to Congress through Maine’s ranked choice system on Friday.
It’s the third time in four elections in the hotly contested district that Golden won after votes were retabulated because first choices failed to produce a majority for any candidate.
This time it was Republican challenger Austin Theriault who came out behind. His campaign had said he would seek a recount, and his campaign reiterated the request Friday evening.
“Every Mainer’s voice should be heard and their vote counted in this historically close race and we have seen several anomalies that can only be rectified with a full recount. We appreciate everyone’s patience and support as we work to ensure every vote is counted,” said Theriault’s campaign manager, Shawn Roderick.
Golden said the results show that he won, and he thanked his supporters. But he said Theriault was within his rights to request a recount. In the meantime, he said he would continue his work in Washington.
Maine’s 2nd District, which is largely rural and known for its lobster fishing and logging, has favored President-elect Donald Trump in each of his three elections.
The race in Maine was one of relatively few truly competitive contests nationwide as both parties struggled to control the House of Representatives, and it drew about $50 million in political spending, a large sum for a mostly rural district.
Golden, who was known for his willingness to defy his own party, campaigned on his ability to work with both Democrats and Republicans and his advocacy for the lobster industry, which is crucial to the economy in the region.
The voting system adopted by Maine voters in 2016 lets voters rank their first, second and third choices of candidates on the ballot. A candidate who collects a majority of first-place votes is the winner. If there’s no majority winner, then last-place candidates are eliminated and their supporters’ second choices are used to reallocate the votes, and so on, until one candidate surpasses 50%.
The 2nd Congressional District is among the nation’s largest by area, stretching to Maine’s northernmost corners. Logging is a mainstay, and lobster fishing is a key source of income along the craggy Down East coast.
Maine is one of two states to divide electoral votes by congressional district — Nebraska is the other — and Trump has won his sole New England electoral vote in Maine’s 2nd District three times.
Meanwhile, Democratic Rep. Jim Costa won reelection to a U.S. House seat representing California on Friday. Costa was first elected to the U.S. House in 2005 after spending roughly 24 years in the state Legislature. He defended his seat against Republican Michael Maher, who also challenged Costa in 2022. Costa serves on the House Committee on Agriculture and on Foreign Affairs. The district encompasses parts of the San Joaquin Valley, including the majority of the city of Fresno. The Associated Press declared Costa the winner Friday evening.
Detectives Dustin Tierney and David Silk, right, of the Department of the Secretary of State carry ballot boxes into the tabulation room on Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024 in Augusta, Maine. (Derek Davis/Portland Press Herald via AP) Attorneys and observers review a printout from a voting machine to ensure the numbers match with the reported results as the state conducts additional tabulations under ranked choice voting in a congressional race, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024, in Augusta, Maine. (AP Photo/David Sharp) Attorneys and observers review a printout from a voting machine to ensure the numbers match with the reported results as the state conducts additional tabulations under ranked choice voting in a congressional race, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024, in Augusta, Maine. (AP Photo/David Sharp) Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows addresses attorneys and campaign staffers as election workers scan ballots for ranked choice voting, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024, in Augusta, Maine. (AP Photo/David Sharp) FILE – Republican congressional candidate Austin Theriault, right speaks with Carlos Kennelly, left, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024 outside the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor, Maine. (AP Photo/Joel Page, File) Detectives of the Department of the Secretary of State move ballot boxes into the tabulation room on Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024 in Augusta, Maine. (Derek Davis/Portland Press Herald via AP) FILE – Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine, fields a question from the media Wednesday afternoon, Nov. 6, 2024, during a press conference at his campaign office in Lewiston, Maine. (Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal via AP, File)
