Maine's 2nd congressional district

Maine's 2nd congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Maine. Covering 27,326 square miles (70,770 km2), it comprises nearly 80% of the state's total land area. It is the largest district east of the Mississippi River and the 24th-largest overall. It is the second-most rural district in the United States, with 72.11% of its population in rural areas; only Kentucky's 5th congressional district is more rural.[3]

Maine's 2nd congressional district
Maine's 2nd congressional district – since January 3, 2013.
Representative
  Jared Golden
D–Lewiston
Distribution
  • 72.11% rural
  • 27.89% urban
Population (2019)657,481
Median household
income		$51,202
Ethnicity
Cook PVIR+2[2]

The district comprises most of the land area north of the Portland and Augusta metropolitan areas. It includes the cities of Lewiston, Bangor, Auburn, and Presque Isle. It also included the city of Waterville until 2011, when Maine's congressional redistricting process following the 2010 U.S. Census led to a shift of district boundaries within Kennebec County.

The district is represented by Democrat Jared Golden, who took office in 2019.

Historically, the district has tended to keep its incumbents regardless of party. When Golden defeated two-term Republican incumbent Bruce Poliquin in 2018, it was the first time an incumbent had lost reelection in the district since 1916.[4]

Since 1965, the district's representatives have frequently sought statewide office. Three U.S. senators (Democrat William Hathaway, Republicans William Cohen and Olympia Snowe), one governor (Democrat John Baldacci), and one nominee for governor (Democrat Mike Michaud) all previously held the seat. Due to its size, the district's congressman is usually reckoned as a statewide figure; its footprint includes portions of all three television markets anchored in the state.

History

Until the Missouri Compromise was reached in 1820, Maine was a part of Massachusetts as the District of Maine. When it became a state in 1820, Maine had seven congressional districts credited to it (Massachusetts including Maine had been given 20 districts after the 1810 Census). Since Maine became a state, all but two districts have been reallocated to other states.

In 2018 the district became the first in the United States to elect the ranked choice winner over the first-past-the-post winner, after a referendum in 2016 changed Maine's electoral system from the latter system to the former. Incumbent representative Bruce Poliquin won a plurality of the first preference votes. However, the second and third preferences from two independent candidates flowed overwhelmingly to Jared Golden, allowing him to win with 50.6% of the vote once all preferences were distributed.

Election results from presidential races

In US presidential elections, most states give all the state's electoral votes to the candidate that wins the statewide popular vote. This is a type of winner-takes-all voting. Maine and Nebraska instead use the congressional district method, where the winner in each of the state's congressional districts gets one electoral vote, and the statewide winner gets an additional two electoral votes. Since Maine introduced this system in 1969, Maine's second district voted the same way as the entire state of Maine for every election until 2016.

Year Results
1972 Nixon 62–38%
1976 Ford 49–48%
1980 Reagan 46–43%
1984 Reagan 62–38%
1988 Bush 55–45%
1992 Clinton 38–33%–28%
1996 Clinton 51–30%
2000 Gore 47–46%
2004 Kerry 52–46%
2008 Obama 55–43%
2012 Obama 53–44%
2016[5] Trump 51–41%
2020 Trump 52–45%

Composition

The boundaries of the District are open for reconsideration in light of population shifts revealed by the decennial US Census. Until 2011, Maine's constitution provided for the state to reapportion the Congressional districts based on census data every ten years beginning in 1983, which would have meant that the state was next due to consider redistricting in 2013. However, a federal lawsuit filed in March 2011 led to a requirement that Maine speed up its redistricting process.[6] Maine state legislators approved new boundaries on September 27, 2011.[7]

2013 – 2023

List of members representing the district
Member Party Years ↑ Cong
ress		 Electoral history District location

Ezekiel Whitman		 Federalist March 4, 1821 –
June 1, 1822		 17th Redistricted from the Massachusetts's 15th district and re-elected in 1820.
Resigned.		 1821 – 1823
Cumberland County: Brunswick, Cape Elizabeth, Danville, Durham, Falmouth, Freeport, Gorham, Gray, Harpswell, New Gloucester, North Yarmouth, Portland, Pownal, Scarborough, Westbrook, Windham
Vacant June 1, 1822 –
December 2, 1822
Mark Harris Democratic-Republican December 2, 1822 –
March 3, 1823		 Elected to finish Whitman's term.
Retired.
Stephen Longfellow Adams-Clay
Federalist		 March 4, 1823 –
March 3, 1825		 18th Elected in 1823.
Lost re-election.		 1823 – 1833
Cumberland County: Brunswick, Cape Elizabeth, Cumberland, Danville, Durham, Falmouth, Freeport, Gorham, Gray, Harpswell, New Gloucester, North Yarmouth, Poland, Portland, Pownal, Raymond, Scarborough, Standish, Westbrook, Windham
John Anderson Jacksonian March 4, 1825 –
March 3, 1833		 19th
20th
21st
22nd		 Elected in 1824.
Re-elected in 1826.
Re-elected in 1828.
Re-elected in 1830.
Retired to run for Mayor of Portland.
Francis Smith Jacksonian March 4, 1833 –
March 3, 1837		 23rd
24th
25th		 Elected in 1833.
Re-elected in 1834.
Re-elected in 1836.
Lost re-election.		 1833 – 1843
[data unknown/missing]
Democratic March 4, 1837 –
March 3, 1839
Albert Smith Democratic March 4, 1839 –
March 3, 1841		 26th Elected in 1838.
Lost re-election.

William Pitt Fessenden		 Whig March 4, 1841 –
March 3, 1843		 27th Elected in 1840.
Retired.

Robert P. Dunlap		 Democratic March 4, 1843 –
March 3, 1847		 28th
29th		 Elected in 1843.
Re-elected in 1844.
Retired.		 1843 – 1853
[data unknown/missing]

Asa Clapp		 Democratic March 4, 1847 –
March 3, 1849		 30th Elected in 1846.
Retired.

Nathaniel Littlefield		 Democratic March 4, 1849 –
March 3, 1851		 31st Elected in 1848.
Retired.

John Appleton		 Democratic March 4, 1851 –
March 3, 1853		 32nd Elected in 1850.
Retired.
Samuel Mayall Democratic March 4, 1853 –
March 3, 1855		 33rd Elected in 1852.
Retired.		 1853 – 1863
[data unknown/missing]

John J. Perry		 Opposition March 4, 1855 –
March 3, 1857		 34th Elected in 1854.
Retired.

Charles J. Gilman		 Republican March 4, 1857 –
March 3, 1859		 35th Elected in 1856.
Retired.

John J. Perry		 Republican March 4, 1859 –
March 3, 1861		 36th Elected in 1858.
Retired.

Charles W. Walton		 Republican March 4, 1861 –
May 26, 1862		 37th Elected in 1860.
Resigned on appointment as associate justice of Maine Supreme Judicial Court.
Vacant May 26, 1862 –
December 1, 1862
Thomas Fessenden Republican December 1, 1862 –
March 3, 1863		 Elected to finish Walton's term.
Retired.

Sidney Perham		 Republican March 4, 1863 –
March 3, 1869		 38th
39th
40th		 Elected in 1862.
Re-elected in 1864.
Re-elected in 1866.
Retired.		 1863 – 1873
[data unknown/missing]

Samuel P. Morrill		 Republican March 4, 1869 –
March 3, 1871		 41st Elected in 1868.
Lost renomination.

William P. Frye		 Republican March 4, 1871 –
March 17, 1881		 42nd
43rd
44th
45th
46th
47th		 Elected in 1870.
Re-elected in 1872.
Re-elected in 1874.
Re-elected in 1876.
Re-elected in 1878.
Re-elected in 1880.
Resigned when elected U.S. senator.
1873 – 1883
[data unknown/missing]
Vacant March 17, 1881 –
September 12, 1881		 47th

Nelson Dingley Jr.		 Republican September 12, 1881 –
March 3, 1883		 Elected to finish Frye's term.
Redistricted to the At-large district.
Inactive March 3, 1883 –
March 3, 1885		 48th At-large districts used

Nelson Dingley Jr.		 Republican March 3, 1885 –
January 13, 1899		 49th
50th
51st
52nd
53rd
54th
55th		 Redistricted from the At-large district and re-elected in 1884.
Re-elected in 1886.
Re-elected in 1888.
Re-elected in 1890.
Re-elected in 1892.
Re-elected in 1894.
Re-elected in 1896.
Re-elected in 1898 but died before next term.		 1885 – 1893
[data unknown/missing]
1893 – 1903
[data unknown/missing]
Vacant January 13, 1899 –
June 19, 1899		 55th
56th

Charles E. Littlefield		 Republican June 19, 1899 –
September 30, 1908		 56th
57th
58th
59th
60th		 Elected to finish Dingley's term.
Re-elected in 1900.
Re-elected in 1902.
Re-elected in 1904.
Re-elected in 1906.
Resigned.
1903 – 1913
[data unknown/missing]
Vacant September 30, 1908 –
November 3, 1908		 60th

John P. Swasey		 Republican November 3, 1908 –
March 3, 1911		 60th
61st		 Elected to finish Littlefield's term.
Also elected to the next full term.
Lost re-election.

Daniel J. McGillicuddy		 Democratic March 4, 1911 –
March 3, 1917		 62nd
63rd
64th		 Elected in 1910.
Re-elected in 1912.
Re-elected in 1914.
Lost re-election.
1913 – 1923
[data unknown/missing]

Wallace H. White Jr.		 Republican March 4, 1917 –
March 3, 1931		 65th
66th
67th
68th
69th
70th
71st		 Elected in 1916.
Re-elected in 1918.
Re-elected in 1920.
Re-elected in 1922.
Re-elected in 1924.
Re-elected in 1926.
Re-elected in 1928.
Retired to run for U.S. Senator.
1923 – 1933
[data unknown/missing]
Donald B. Partridge Republican March 4, 1931 –
March 3, 1933		 72nd Elected in 1930.
Retired.

Edward C. Moran Jr.		 Democratic March 4, 1933 –
January 3, 1937		 73rd
74th		 Elected in 1932.
Re-elected in 1934.
Retired.		 1933 – 1943
[data unknown/missing]

Clyde H. Smith		 Republican January 3, 1937 –
April 8, 1940		 75th
76th		 Elected in 1936.
Re-elected in 1938.
Died.
Vacant April 8, 1940 –
June 3, 1940		 76th

Margaret Chase Smith		 Republican June 3, 1940 –
January 3, 1949		 76th
77th
78th
79th
80th		 Elected to finish her husband's term.
Re-elected in 1940.
Re-elected in 1942.
Re-elected in 1944.
Re-elected in 1946.
Retired to run for U.S. Senator.
1943 – 1953
[data unknown/missing]

Charles P. Nelson		 Republican January 3, 1949 –
January 3, 1957		 81st
82nd
83rd
84th		 Elected in 1948.
Re-elected in 1950.
Re-elected in 1952.
Re-elected in 1954.
Retired.
1953 – 1963
[data unknown/missing]

Frank M. Coffin		 Democratic January 3, 1957 –
January 3, 1961		 85th
86th		 Elected in 1956.
Re-elected in 1958.
Retired to run for governor.

Stanley R. Tupper		 Republican January 3, 1961 –
January 3, 1963		 87th Elected in 1960.
Redistricted to the 1st district.

Clifford G. McIntire		 Republican January 3, 1963 –
January 3, 1965		 88th Redistricted from the 3rd district and re-elected in 1962.
Retired to run for U.S. Senator.		 1963 – 1973
[data unknown/missing]

William Hathaway		 Democratic January 3, 1965 –
January 3, 1973		 89th
90th
91st
92nd		 Elected in 1964.
Re-elected in 1966.
Re-elected in 1968.
Re-elected in 1970.
Retired to run for U.S. Senator.

William Cohen		 Republican January 3, 1973 –
January 3, 1979		 93rd
94th
95th		 Elected in 1972.
Re-elected in 1974.
Re-elected in 1976.
Retired to run for U.S. Senator.		 1973 – 1983
[data unknown/missing]

Olympia Snowe		 Republican January 3, 1979 –
January 3, 1995		 96th
97th
98th
99th
100th
101st
102nd
103rd		 Elected in 1978.
Re-elected in 1980.
Re-elected in 1982.
Re-elected in 1984.
Re-elected in 1986.
Re-elected in 1988.
Re-elected in 1990.
Re-elected in 1992.
Retired to run for U.S. Senator.
1983 – 1993
[data unknown/missing]
1993 – 2003
[data unknown/missing]

John Baldacci		 Democratic January 3, 1995 –
January 3, 2003		 104th
105th
106th
107th		 Elected in 1994.
Re-elected in 1996.
Re-elected in 1998.
Re-elected in 2000.
Retired to run for governor.

Mike Michaud		 Democratic January 3, 2003 –
January 3, 2015		 108th
109th
110th
111th
112th
113th		 Elected in 2002.
Re-elected in 2004.
Re-elected in 2006.
Re-elected in 2008.
Re-elected in 2010.
Re-elected in 2012.
Retired to run for governor.		 2003 – 2013

Androscoggin County; Aroostook County; Franklin County; Hancock County; Oxford County; Penobscot County; Piscataquis County; Somerset County; Waldo County; Washington County; and part of Kennebec County: Benton, Clinton, Fayette, Litchfield, Oakland, Waterville, Wayne, and Winslow
2013 – Present

Bruce Poliquin		 Republican January 3, 2015 –
January 3, 2019		 114th
115th		 Elected in 2014.
Re-elected in 2016.
Lost re-election.

Jared Golden		 Democratic January 3, 2019 –
Present		 116th
117th		 Elected in 2018.
Re-elected in 2020.

Recent election results
1978 United States House of Representatives elections in Maine:
Maine's 2nd congressional district
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Olympia Snowe 87,939 50.82
Democratic Markham L. Gartley 70,691 40.85
Independent Frederick W. Whittaker 8,035 4.64
Independent Eddie Shurtleff 1,923 1.11
Independent Robert H. Burmeister 1,653 0.96
Independent Margaret E. Cousins 1,573 0.91
Independent Robert L. Cousins 1,223 0.71
Majority 17,248 9.97
Turnout 173,037
Republican hold
1980 United States House of Representatives elections in Maine:
Maine's 2nd congressional district
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Olympia Snowe (Incumbent) 186,406 78.51
Democratic Harold L. Silverman 51,026 21.49
Majority 135,380 57.02
Turnout 237,612
Republican hold
1982 United States House of Representatives elections in Maine:
Maine's 2nd congressional district
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Olympia Snowe (Incumbent) 136,075 66.65
Democratic James P. Dunleavy 68,086 33.35
Majority 67,989 33.30
Turnout 204,161
Republican hold
1984 United States House of Representatives elections in Maine:
Maine's 2nd congressional district
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Olympia Snowe (Incumbent) 192,166 75.73
Democratic Chipman C. Bull 57,347 22.60
Constitution Kenneth E. Stoddard 4,242 1.67
Majority 134,819 53.13
Turnout 253,755
Republican hold
1986 United States House of Representatives elections in Maine:
Maine's 2nd congressional district
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Olympia Snowe (Incumbent) 148,770 77.33
Democratic Kenneth P. Hayes 43,614 22.67
Majority 105,156 54.66
Turnout 192,384
Republican hold
1988 United States House of Representatives elections in Maine:
Maine's 2nd congressional district
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Olympia Snowe (Incumbent) 167,226 66.21
Democratic Kenneth P. Hayes 85,346 33.79
Majority 81,880 32.42
Turnout 252,572
Republican hold
1990 United States House of Representatives elections in Maine:
Maine's 2nd congressional district
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Olympia Snowe (Incumbent) 121,704 51.02
Democratic Patrick K. McGowan 116,798 48.97
write-ins 20 0.01
Majority 4,906 2.06
Turnout 238,522
Republican hold
1992 United States House of Representatives elections in Maine:
Maine's 2nd congressional district
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Olympia Snowe (Incumbent) 153,022 49.13
Democratic Patrick K. McGowan 130,824 42.01
Green Jonathan Carter 27,526 8.84
write-ins 61 0.02
Majority 22,198 7.13
Turnout 311,433
Republican hold
1994 United States House of Representatives elections in Maine:
Maine's 2nd congressional district
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John Baldacci 109,615 45.69
Republican Richard A. Bennett 97,754 40.75
Independent John M. Michael 21,117 8.80
Green Charles Fitzgerald 11,353 4.73
write-ins 55 0.02
Majority 11,861 4.94
Turnout 239,894
Democratic gain from Republican
1996 United States House of Representatives elections in Maine:
Maine's 2nd congressional district
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John Baldacci (Incumbent) 205,439 71.92
Republican Paul R. Young 70,856 24.81
Independent Aldric Saucier 9,294 3.25
write-ins 47 0.02
Majority 134,583 47.12
Turnout 285,636
Democratic hold
1998 United States House of Representatives elections in Maine:
Maine's 2nd congressional district
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John Baldacci (Incumbent) 146,202 76.20
Republican Jonathan Reisman 45,674 23.80
Majority 100,528 52.39
Turnout 191,876
Democratic hold
2000 United States House of Representatives elections in Maine:
Maine's 2nd congressional district
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John Baldacci (Incumbent) 219,783 73.43
Republican Richard H. Campbell 79,522 26.57
Majority 140,261 46.86
Turnout 299,305
Democratic hold
2002 United States House of Representatives elections in Maine:
Maine's 2nd congressional district:
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Mike Michaud 116,868 52.01
Republican Kevin Raye 107,849 47.99
Total votes 224,717 100.00
Turnout  
Democratic hold
2004 United States House of Representatives elections in Maine:
Maine's 2nd congressional district
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Mike Michaud (incumbent) 199,303 58.03
Republican Brian Hamel 135,547 39.47
Socialist Equality Carl Cooley 8,586 2.50
Total votes 343,436 100.00
Turnout  
Democratic hold
2006 United States House of Representatives elections in Maine:
Maine's 2nd congressional district
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Mike Michaud (incumbent) 179,732 70.52
Republican L. Scott D'Amboise 75,146 29.48
Total votes 254,878 100.00
Turnout  
Democratic hold
2008 United States House of Representatives elections in Maine:
Maine's 2nd congressional district
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Mike Michaud (incumbent) 226,274 67.44
Republican John Frary 109,268 32.57
Total votes 335,542 100.00
Turnout  
Democratic hold
2010 United States House of Representatives elections in Maine:
Maine's 2nd congressional district
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Mike Michaud (incumbent) 147,042 55.13
Republican Jason J. Levesque 119,669 44.87
Total votes 266,711 100.00
Turnout  
Democratic hold
2012 United States House of Representatives elections in Maine:
Maine's 2nd congressional district
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Mike Michaud (incumbent) 191,456 58.2
Republican Kevin Raye 137,542 41.8
Total votes 328,998 100.0
Turnout  
Democratic hold
2014 United States House of Representatives elections in Maine:
Maine's 2nd congressional district
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Bruce Poliquin 133,320 47.03
Democratic Emily Ann Cain 118,568 41.83
Independent Blaine Richardson 31,337 11.05
Others 248 0.09
Total votes 283,473 100
Turnout  
Republican gain from Democratic
2016 United States House of Representatives elections in Maine:
Maine's 2nd congressional district
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Bruce Poliquin 192,878 54.77
Democratic Emily Cain 159,081 45.17
Libertarian Jay Parker Dresser (Declared Write-In) 224 0.06
Blank ballots 12,703 N/A
Total votes 364,886 100
Republican hold
2018 United States House of Representatives elections in Maine:
Maine's 2nd congressional district (RCV)
The 2018 election was the first to use ranked-choice voting as opposed to plurality voting since the district's creation.
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Bruce Poliquin 134,184 46.33
Democratic Jared Golden 132,013 45.58
Independent Tiffany L. Bond 16,552 5.71
Independent William R.S. Hoar 6,875 2.37
Exhausted ballots
(not included in total)		 6,453 N/A
Total votes 289,624 100
Two-candidate-preferred result
Democratic Jared Golden 142,440 50.62
Republican Bruce Poliquin 138,931 49.38
Democratic gain from Republican

Results
Maine's 2nd congressional district, 2020[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jared Golden (incumbent) 197,974 53.0
Republican Dale Crafts 175,228 47.0
Write-in 33 0.0
Total votes 373,235 100.0
Democratic hold

See also

References
  1. https://censusreporter.org/profiles/50000US2302-congressional-district-2-me/
  2. "Partisan Voting Index – Districts of the 115th Congress" (PDF). The Cook Political Report. April 7, 2017. Retrieved April 7, 2017.
  3. "Congressional Districts – 113th Congress Demographics – Urban Rural Patterns". proximityone.com. Retrieved September 12, 2015.
  4. Kate Taylor; Liam Stack (November 15, 2018). "Maine's Bruce Poliquin, Lone Republican in House From New England, Loses Re-election". The New York Times.
  5. "Certificate of Ascertainment of Electors—State of Maine" (PDF). National Archives and Records Administration. Retrieved November 2, 2020.
  6. Associated Press (2011). "Lawsuit aims to speed Maine redistricting". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved December 17, 2012.
  7. Russell, Eric (2011). "After long partisan fight, redistricting deal keeps boundaries much the same". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved December 17, 2012.
  8. "November 3, 2020 General Election". Maine Department of Secretary of State. Retrieved November 24, 2020.

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