LEWISTON, Maine (AP) — Democratic Rep. Jared Golden, a moderate known for defying party orthodoxy, was defending his seat in Congress against Austin Theriault, a stock car driver and Republican state lawmaker, but the tight race was still too early to call Thursday.
The matchup between Golden and Theriault is one of a handful of pivotal races with a chance to influence control of the U.S. House of Representatives during a competitive election year. It played out in the largest congressional district by area on the East Coast, a largely rural part of Maine where former President Donald Trump has proven very popular with voters.
Thursday afternoon, Golden and Theriault were in a tight race with some of the vote yet to be counted. Theriault requested a recount Thursday, although the final tallies were not yet finished.
Golden is a former Marine in his third term representing the 2nd Congressional District, which is typically described as a swing district. The district covers a vast part of Maine that includes a handful of small cities but is perhaps best known as the home of traditional northern New England industries such as lobster fishing and logging.
During the campaign, Golden touted his ability to work with members of either political party along with his advocacy on behalf of the lobster industry, which is the lifeblood of the region’s economy. He declared himself the winner of the race Wednesday, though it has not been called by The Associated Press.
“Anyone who has observed this race knows that this was my toughest election yet. Across the country, no Democrat has withstood stronger headwinds from the top of the ticket, the pundits and the organized opposition,” Golden said, wearing a flannel shirt and blue jeans at a news conference in Lewiston.
Theriault, who was first elected to the Maine House of Representatives in 2022, spent much of the campaign portraying Golden as too liberal for the district. Although Theriault had the backing of Trump, he also attempted to portray himself as a potential uniter during a divided time in Washington.
Theriault said Wednesday that he was “well within the margin” where a recount was possible “and every vote should be counted.” Thursday, he made that request formal.
Maine has no mandatory recounts even in close elections. But the state does allow candidates to request a recount. The state does not require a deposit for a recount if the margin of victory is 1% or less for statewide or multicounty races.
“We must work together to ensure the Mainers’ voices are heard and the final result reflects the will of the people,” said Theriault campaign manager Shawn Roderick.
Golden “has trust and faith in the process of determining the victor, and is ready for a recount if one is necessary,” said Mario Moretto, a spokesperson for the congressman.
It was also possible neither candidate would crack 50% of the total vote, and that would necessitate a ranked choice count. There was no third-party candidate on the ballot, but write-in candidates were still possible, and some voters used that option.
Golden was first elected to Congress in 2018, when he needed the ranked choice voting count to defeat Republican incumbent Rep Bruce Poliquin.
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Golden has held onto his seat despite Trump dominating the district in recent presidential elections. Maine is one of two states to apportion 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.
In the 1st Congressional District, Democratic Rep. Chellie Pingree won her ninth term against Republican challenger Ron Russell and independent Ethan Alcorn.
While influenza remains the top concern for Maine public health experts, other viruses are also currently circulating, including norovirus and COVID-19.
“Influenza is clearly the main event,” said Dr. Cheryl Liechty, a MaineHealth infectious disease specialist. “The curve in terms of the rise of influenza cases was really steep.”
Maine reported 1,343 flu cases for the week ending Jan. 3, an uptick from the 1,283 cases recorded the previous week, according to the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Hospitalizations increased to 147 from 108 during the same time periods.
“I hope the peak is now,” Liechty said, “but I’m not really sure.”
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported on Friday that all of New England, except for Vermont, is currently experiencing “very high” levels of influenza. Vermont is in the “moderate” category.
“What we are seeing, overwhelmingly, is the flu,” said Andrew Donovan, associate vice president of infection prevention for Northern Light Health. “We are seeing both respiratory and gastrointestinal viruses in our patients.”
Norovirus also appears to be circulating, although due to its short duration and because it’s less severe than the flu, public health data on the illness — which causes gastrointestinal symptoms that typically resolve within a few days — is not as robust.
“Norovirus is the gastrointestinal scourge of New England winters and cruise ships,” Liechty said.
According to surveillance data at wastewater treatment plants in Portland, Bangor and Lewiston, norovirus levels detected in those communities are currently “high.” The treatment plants participate in WastewaterSCAN, which reports virus levels in wastewater through a program run by Stanford University and Emory University.
Dr. Genevieve Whiting, a Westbrook pediatrician and secretary of the Maine chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, said viruses are prevalent right now, especially the flu and norovirus.
“For my patients right now, it’s a rare encounter that I hear everyone in a family has been healthy,” Whiting said. “I’ve had families come in and say their entire family has had norovirus. Several of my patients have had ER visits for suspected norovirus, where they needed IV fluids because they were dehydrated.”
Both Liechty and Whiting said they are seeing less respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, likely because there has been good uptake of the new RSV vaccine, which is recommended for older people and those who are pregnant. The vaccine was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2023.
“The RSV vaccine has been a real success, as RSV was a leading cause of hospitalizations for babies,” Whiting said.
Meanwhile, COVID-19 cases increased to 610 in the final week of 2025, compared to 279 the previous week. Influenza and COVID-19 vaccinations are available at primary care, pharmacies and clinics across the state.
“If you haven’t gotten your flu shot yet,” Liechty said, “you should beat a hasty path to get your shot.”
Defensemen Max Wanner was re-assigned to the Maine Mariners from the Providence Bruins on Thursday. Defenseman Michael Underwood was also re-assigned to Maine.
Wanner, 22, was acquired by the Boston Bruins when they traded Trent Federic to Edmonton last March. He played in 15 games for the AHL Providence Bruins at the end of last season, and seven this season.
Underwood returns for his second stint with the Mariners. He appeared in 67 games with Maine last season.
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