AUGUSTA, Maine — A progressive Democrat won the party’s nomination in Maine’s closely watched 2nd Congressional District race after a crowded primary contest, according to election results released following the state’s ranked-choice vote count.
Jordan Wood, a former congressional aide who ran on a reform-oriented platform, emerged as the Democratic nominee in the race to succeed outgoing U.S. Representative Jared Golden, whose decision not to seek reelection created an open-seat contest in one of the nation’s most competitive House districts, Maine election officials said.
The Democratic primary featured four candidates: Wood, state Senator Joe Baldacci, State Auditor Matt Dunlap and social worker Paige Loud. No candidate secured a majority of first-choice votes in the June 9 primary, triggering Maine’s ranked-choice voting process, under which lower-performing candidates are eliminated and ballots redistributed according to voters’ subsequent preferences.
Wood, a former chief of staff to former U.S. Representative Katie Porter, entered the congressional race after initially launching a campaign for the U.S. Senate. During the campaign, he emphasized government reform, campaign-finance issues and opposition to policies advanced by President Donald Trump, according to campaign materials and public statements.
The contest drew national attention because Maine’s 2nd District is expected to play a role in the battle for control of the U.S. House of Representatives. The district, which covers much of the state’s rural interior, has been represented by Democrat Jared Golden despite supporting Republican presidential candidates in recent elections.
Republicans have already nominated former Governor Paul LePage, who ran unopposed in the primary. LePage, a two-term governor and prominent figure in Maine politics, is seeking a return to elected office in what is expected to be a high-profile general election campaign.
Following the result, Wood said in a statement that the campaign had been built around bringing new leadership to Washington and representing working families across the district.
“I’m honored by the trust voters have placed in me,” Wood said.
LePage’s campaign has argued that the district needs a representative focused on economic and energy issues affecting rural communities.
The November election will determine who succeeds Golden in the open seat. State election officials said the ranked-choice tabulation process was conducted under Maine law and that certified results would be finalized through the state’s standard election procedures.
