The former Maine governor who has called himself “Donald Trump before Donald Trump” has launched a campaign to take over the seat held by Democratic Rep. Jared Golden.
Paul LePage, who served as governor of Maine from 2011 to 2019, on Monday announced a run for the state’s swingy second district, which Golden won last November by less than a point in a ranked-choice vote.
“I do not need a job, I am running to protect our Maine jobs,” LePage said in a statement on social media announcing his candidacy. “I am running to serve the people of Maine and help the president fix Washington.”
The bombastic Republican, who regularly stoked controversy as governor, stepped aside after eight years overseeing the state and moved to Florida. He ran again for the post against Gov. Janet Mills in 2022, losing by nearly 13 points.
In 2019, shortly after leaving the governor’s mansion, LePage made headlines for suggesting that Democrats’ money came from Jewish donors, “for the most part.” In 2011, he initially refused to attend a Martin Luther King Jr. Day Breakfast, and told an enraged NAACP to “kiss my butt” when the organization complained.
Golden, a four-term House rep, has survived in his seat by tracking to the political center. President Donald Trump won the second district by around six points in 2020. LePage carried the district in his recent loss to Mills.
During the 2024 election, Golden did not endorse former Vice President Kamala Harris and he’s banded with Republicans on energy policy.
The Cook Political Report lists the seat as a tossup.
“The entrenched interests are fighting President Trump at every turn as he works to fix problems,” LePage said. “We need more straight talk to help take back Washington. We need more real-world business experience, those who know how to create jobs.”
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