State Rep. John Andrews resigned his seat on Wednesday, faulting party leaders and voters a day after fellow Rep. Austin Theriault’s victory in the Republican primary in Maine’s 2nd Congressional District.
“I don’t want to be within 1,000 yards of anything Austin Theriault,” Andrews, who worked for Theriault’s primary opponent, Rep. Mike Soboleski, wrote in a text message.
The resignation has no effect on State House politics, because the 2024 legislative session is over and Andrews was already not seeking reelection. But the decision shows raw emotions in Soboleski’s camp after Theriault dispatched him with two-thirds of votes on Tuesday, setting up a November matchup with U.S. Rep. Jared Golden, a Democrat from the 2nd District.
Theriault vastly outraised and outspent Soboleski while also enjoying endorsements from national Republicans and former President Donald Trump, the first ex-president to become a convicted felon in American history who is seeking to beat President Joe Biden in November.
The primary turned ugly between the two first-term state representatives, particularly among surrogates on conservative radio in the closing stages of the race. On Tuesday, a super PAC supporting Theriault compared Soboleski to Biden and misleadingly claimed he supports abortion rights.
Soboleski eked out a few wins in parts of Oxford County near Andrews’ district, such as Dixfield and Mexico, but Andrews said his hometown of Paris going for Theriault “made up my mind.”
“I’m sorry, but I’m done standing up for anything in this community,” Andrews wrote in a Facebook post Wednesday morning. “I’m officially retired from politics.This absolutely disgusts me.”
Andrews was elected to the House as a Republican in 2018. He became a Libertarian in 2020 before switching back the following year. Two contenders are currently set to run for Andrews’ seat in November — Republican Michael Lance and unenrolled candidate Charlotte Nutt.
In Augusta, Andrews was known for grabbing attention, including when he twice filed unsuccessful impeachment resolutions against Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, a Democrat. But he broke with most Republicans in supporting tribal sovereignty legislation opposed by Gov. Janet Mills, a Democrat, over the years.
