State Auditor Matt Dunlap announced Monday he will challenge U.S. Rep. Jared Golden in a Democratic primary next year that adds intrigue to one of the country’s biggest congressional races with former Gov. Paul LePage on the Republican side.
Dunlap, 60, a former state legislator and secretary of state who once led the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine and lives in Old Town, said that Democratic voters “want to see something different” and vowed to be an accessible member of Congress.
Maine’s high officeholders rarely see serious primary challenges. Dunlap, who has been elected to two posts repeatedly by Democratic lawmakers, enters as a credible opponent. National Democrats have already rallied around Golden, who called Dunlap a party “crony” in a statement responding to his candidacy.
“A lot of the Democrats I’ve spoken to, especially, are very excited by this prospect,” Dunlap said in an interview with the Bangor Daily News. “I think they’ve felt like they haven’t had a lot of choices in these last few elections, and I offer a choice.”
Dunlap first said in May he was exploring a primary challenge after he was left feeling frustrated by his conversation with Golden over the congressman’s vote for a Republican-backed bill requiring proof of citizenship when voters register for federal elections. In a campaign video, he expressed support for the progressive goal of “Medicare for all.”
He is not simply running to Golden’s left, however. Dunlap has a gun-rights background and said he will be voting no on Question 2, the red flag referendum on Maine’s November ballot, calling it “a little bit premature” after the Legislature and Gov. Janet Mills expanded the use of the state’s similar “yellow flag” law.
Former state lawmakers were among the Maine Democrats openly talking about backing Dunlap if he challenged Golden. But the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is backing Golden, with a source close to it saying last week that it has informed Dunlap and the Maine Democratic Party that dumping the congressman could risk the seat.
That’s a not-so-subtle threat to cut Dunlap off if he is the nominee against former Gov. Paul LePage, whom Republicans are bullish on in 2026. The former secretary of state called that a “misread” by the party, saying he can compete with LePage in the Trump-friendly district.
“I don’t have to look at a nebulous poll that shows how Paul LePage does versus me to have a determination that actually I think I’m going to do very well,” he said.
Golden is a 43-year-old Marine veteran from Lewiston who routinely bucked his own party on issues ranging from guns to voting rights while supporting President Donald Trump’s aggressive tariff policies. He has kept some Democrats close who like his more liberal views on labor issues, abortion rights and other matters.
The congressman has defeated Republican challengers to keep the rural, geographically vast 2nd District blue while it has otherwise backed Trump in each of his elections. Last year, Golden narrowly beat former state Rep. Austin Theriault by fewer than 3,000 votes.
LePage, who led Maine from 2010 to 2018 before losing to Gov. Janet Mills in a 2022 comeback attempt, has firm support from his party’s base and has mentioned his desire to support Trump’s policies if the 76-year-old is elected to Congress as one of the oldest-ever first-term lawmakers. LePage moved back to Maine from Florida after announcing his 2nd District bid in May.
“Matt Dunlap sees what we see,” LePage strategist Brent Littlefield said in a statement. “Jared Golden is hiding.”
Dunlap is in his second stint as state auditor after having to leave the position due to failing required tests in 2021. He has generally supported abortion rights but voted for a restrictive 2003 bill when he was a lawmaker, saying on a podcast earlier this year that it was at the urging of a constituent.
In a statement, Golden criticized him for that vote. He also renewed a call for a new generation of leaders and said “a 30-year party crony like Matt Dunlap won’t cut it.”
“If Matt Dunlap thinks this district will choose him over Paul LePage, he’s got another thing coming,” he said.
