This year’s filing deadline for candidates running for the U.S. House of Representatives in Maine was March 16, 2026.

The number of candidates running for the U.S. House in Maine is the most since 2014. Eight candidates — five Democrats and three Republicans — are running for Maine’s two congressional districts. That’s four candidates per district. There were three candidates per district in 2024, 2.5 in 2022, three in 2020, three in 2018, 2.5 in 2016, and three in 2014.

One factor driving this high number of candidates is that incumbent Rep. Jared Golden (D) is retiring, leaving the 2nd Congressional District open. This year marks the first time since 2014 that a district is open. That year, one district was open.

The 2nd Congressional District has attracted more candidates than the 1st Congressional District.  Five candidates — four Democrats and one Republican — are running for the 2nd Congressional District. Three candidates — incumbent Rep. Chellie Pingree (D) and two Republicans — are running for the 1st Congressional District.

Two primaries — one Democratic and one Republican — are contested this year. There were two contested primaries in 2024, one in 2022, one in 2020, one in 2018, one in 2016, and two in 2014.

Neither of the contested primaries included Pingree, meaning an incumbent is not running in a contested primary this year. Since 2014, no incumbent who ran for the U.S. House in Maine has faced a primary challenger.

Candidates filed to run in the Republican and Democratic primaries in both districts, meaning no districts are guaranteed to either party.

Maine and three other states — Nevada, North Dakota, and South Carolina — are holding U.S. House primaries on June 9, 2026.

In Maine, primary winners are selected via ranked-choice voting (RCV).