Two Maine state legislative incumbents face primary contests in 2026, the fewest at any point since 2018. This is a 67% decrease in the number of incumbents facing challengers compared to 2024. Both of the contested incumbents are Republican state representatives.
Maine has 28 contested state legislative primaries in 2026, up 56% from 2024. Of these, there are 11 for Democrats and 17 for Republicans. For Democrats, this is up from nine in 2024, a 22% increase. Contested Republican primaries are up 89% from 9 in 2024.
In total, 357 major party candidates filed to run. One hundred eighty-three are Democrats, and 174 are Republicans. All 151 House seats and all 35 Senate seats are up for election. Sixty-nine seats are open, meaning no incumbents filed. This means newcomers will make up at least 37% of the legislature next year. The average number of open seats each cycle from 2010 to 2024 was 53.
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