With no majority winners in Maine’s Democratic and Republican gubernatorial primaries, both races are headed toward a ranked choice runoff to determine who will run in November’s general election.
In the race for U.S. Senate, Graham Platner clinched the Democratic primary to set the stage for an explosive general election campaign against incumbent U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine.
With 81% of votes counted as of 3:35 a.m. Wednesday, Democrat Nirav Shah was the party’s frontrunner for governor, with 26.7% of the vote, according to estimates from the Associated Press.
Shah, the former head of the Maine Center for Disease Control, led former House speaker Hannah Pingree, who had 23.2% of the vote, former state Senate President Troy Jackson, with 21.2%, and Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, with 20.8%. Businessman Angus King III, son of U.S. Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, had 8.2%.
In the absence of a majority for any of the candidates, a ranked choice runoff will determine the candidate in November’s general election.
Robert “Bobby” Charles, a Kennebec County native and attorney who leads a Washington, D.C.-based consulting firm, won the Republican primary with 37.5% in a race that will also be decided by ranked choice. Benjamin Midgley came in second with 20.1%, followed by Jonathan Bush (20%) and Garrett Mason (11.4%). At the back of the pack was Owen McCarthy, co-founder of Portland digital health startup MedRhythms, with 3.9%.
Ranked choice vote tabulations are expected to start this Friday in Augusta and wrap up within a week.
Senate race
Progressive candidate Platner, an oyster farmer from Sullivan, Hancock County, clinched the Democratic Senate primary with 72% of the vote despite recent disturbing revelations about his past from ex-girlfriends reported by the New York Times. Maine Gov. Janet Mills, who suspended her campaign in April, received 19.5% of the vote.
Platner is seeking to unseat Republican incumbent Collins, who chairs the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee and is seeking her sixth term in office.
Taking aim at his Republican opponent throughout his victory speech, Platner accused Collins of “getting rich while we are getting screwed,” and for supporting two wars that Platner fought in for the U.S. military.
“Senator Collins, I got blown up while you handed out billions of dollars to defense companies that you’re invested in,” Planeter said. “You and your friends profited — and my friends died.”
In an emailed statement, the Republican National Committee called Platner “easily the most toxic candidate of the cycle and the fact that Democrats have embraced him in service of a radical socialist agenda has placed the final nail in the coffin of their chances to win Maine in November.”
U.S. House races
In the U.S. House race for Maine’s first Congressional district, Ronald Russell won the Republican primary with 53.4% of the vote to face incumbent U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine 1st District, in November.
In the 2nd Congressional district, a runoff is expected to determine the Democratic candidate to run against Republican Paul LePage, Maine’s former governor, in November.
State Sen. Joe Baldacci, brother of former Maine Gov. John Baldacci, leads the Democratic race with 31.5%, followed by Jordan Woods at 29.4%; Matthew Dunlap at 28.9; and Paige Loud at 10.3%.
