Paul LePage (R) defeated Matthew Dunlap (D) in the general election to represent Maine's 2nd Congressional District on Nov. 3. Click here for detailed results. Incumbent Jared Golden (D) did not seek re-election.

Roll Call's Mary Ellen McIntire wrote, "Republicans see the seat — a district that Donald Trump carried three times — as a prime pickup opportunity in a challenging midterm election year." According to Maine Public, Republicans said Dunlap was too liberal for the district. Citing University of Maine Professor Emeritus Amy Fried, Seacoastonline's Margie Cullen wrote, "Dunlap is more progressive than Golden, but ... Golden was more progressive when he defeated a Republican for the seat for the first time in 2018."

The 2nd District was one of 23 U.S. House districts nationwide that Democrats held before the election that President Donald Trump (R) won in 2024. He defeated Kamala Harris (D) in the district 53.5%-44.5% in 2024. Golden, who was first elected in 2018, won re-election 50.3%-49.7% in 2024. Before Golden, Rep. Bruce Poliquin (R) represented the district from 2015 to 2019.

LePage was the governor of Maine from 2011 to 2019. He served as mayor of Waterville, Maine, from 2004 to 2011, and he was the general manager of Marden’s Surplus and Salvage. LePage's campaign website said, "Paul is now running for Congress to lend his straight-talking voice to those who are trying to fix our government. Paul will help secure our broken borders, support Maine jobs, grow our economy, and help lower inflation by ending wasteful spending."

Dunlap was appointed Maine's state auditor in 2022. He also served as Maine's secretary of state from 2005 to 2011 and from 2013 to 2021. Dunlap represented the 121st District in the Maine House of Representatives from 1996 to 2004. Dunlap said, "Together, we’re going to defeat Paul LePage one more time and make sure he’s never on the ballot again. While we’re at it, we’re going to fight to advance policies that will actually help Mainers — like Medicare for All, affordable childcare, a lower cost of living, and stopping this illegal war in Iran."

Before the election, Dunlap had raised $2.96 million, and LePage had raised $3.30 million.

This was one of 60 races for the U.S. House of Representatives in 2026 in which an incumbent was not running for re-election. Across the country, 23 Democrats and 37 Republicans did not seek re-election. In 2024, 45 incumbents — 24 Democrats and 21 Republicans — did not seek re-election.

The outcome of this race affected the partisan balance of the U.S. House of Representatives in the 120th Congress. All 435 U.S. House districts were up for election. At the time of the election, Republicans had a 219-214 majority with two vacancies in the U.S. House. To read more about the U.S. House elections that took place in 2026, click here.