Jared Golden Narrowly Defeats Austin Theriault in Maine’s 2nd District, Race Likely to Face Recount

In a tightly contested election, U.S. Rep. Jared Golden has secured a fourth term representing Maine‘s 2nd Congressional District, narrowly defeating Republican challenger Austin Theriault. The race, which was one of the closest in Maine history, saw Golden leading with 50.3% of the votes to Theriault’s 49.7% as of Wednesday afternoon, with more than 95% of precincts reporting.

The Bangor Daily News and its national partner, Decision Desk HQ, called the race for Golden at 1:25 p.m. on Wednesday. However, Theriault’s campaign has indicated that the race is likely to head to a recount, given the narrow margin that falls within the 1.5-percentage-point difference required for a state-funded recount in Maine.

Austin Theriault, a 30-year-old former NASCAR driver endorsed by former President Donald Trump, ran a strong campaign that criticized Golden for his stance on issues such as an assault-style weapons ban and border security. Despite being backed by national Republicans, Theriault was unable to overcome Golden’s strong voter base.

Golden, a Marine veteran who first won the seat in 2018, managed to retain his seat despite the district being won by Trump in the presidential election. Golden’s victory is seen as a significant win for Democrats, who are seeking to maintain their presence in a House with a slim GOP majority.

The campaign was marked by significant outside spending, with around $25 million invested by various groups to influence the outcome. Golden’s win was celebrated in a statement where he thanked his family, campaign team, and voters, promising to continue working hard to deliver results for his constituents.