Dunlap concedes to LePage in Maine battleground

Former Gov. Paul LePage declared victory Thursday in Maine's 2nd District as Democrat Matt Dunlap conceded, giving Republicans their first and possibly only pickup in the House that wasn't a result of GOP redistricting.

The seat, which was open because of the retirement of incumbent Rep. Jared Golden (D), ends a Democratic grip on a deep-red district carried twice by President Donald Trump.

Dunlap's campaign said the race was headed to a ranked-choice count but that it did not expect the process to change the outcome.

"This isn't the result we were hoping for, and I'm disappointed that we came short," the candidate said in a statement. "Congratulations to Paul LePage, I wish him the best."

LePage adviser Brent Littlefield said blank ballots and write-ins could trigger the statutory ranked-choice process but that the Republican had a decisive advantage of more than 4,400 votes.

"It is very clear from our campaign team's work yesterday talking one-on-one with many local town clerks and the publicly reported numbers that Paul LePage is the Congressman-Elect," Littlefield said in a statement.

Dunlap, Maine's state auditor and a former secretary of state, originally entered the race to challenge Golden from the left, accusing him of voting too often with Republicans. But the incumbent instead announced his retirement , citing increasing political incivility and the toll of public service on his family.

National Democrats initially backed state Sen. Joe Baldacci in the primary, but Dunlap prevailed in a ranked-choice runoff. Dunlap had support from the Bernie Sanders-linked Our Revolution and benefited from more than $500,000 in spending by an outside group with apparent GOP ties that boosted him and attacked Baldacci.

LePage, a former two-term governor, entered the contest with an established base in the district.

He now looks forward to working with "anyone — and everyone — regardless of Party to put Maine first," Littlefield said.