Everything you need to know about ranked-choice voting in one spot. Click to learn more!

United States Senate election in Maine, 2018

From Ballotpedia
Jump to: navigation, search

General election

General election for U.S. Senate Maine

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Angus King
Angus King (Independent)
 
54.3
 
344,575
Image of Eric Brakey
Eric Brakey (R)
 
35.2
 
223,502
Image of Zak Ringelstein
Zak Ringelstein (D)
 
10.4
 
66,268
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.0
 
64

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 634,409
(100.00% precincts reporting)
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates


2020 →
← 2014
U.S. Senate, Maine
Ballotpedia Election Coverage Badge.png
Democratic primary
Republican primary
General election
Election details
Filing deadline: March 15, 2018
Primary: June 12, 2018
General: November 6, 2018
Pre-election incumbent:
Angus King (Independent)
How to vote
Poll times: 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Voting in Maine
Race ratings
Cook Political Report: Solid Democratic
Inside Elections: Solid Democratic
Sabato's Crystal Ball: Safe Democratic
Ballotpedia analysis
U.S. Senate battlegrounds
U.S. House battlegrounds
Federal and state primary competitiveness
Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2018
See also
U.S. Senate, Maine
U.S. Senate • 1st • 2nd
Maine elections, 2018
U.S. Congress elections, 2018
U.S. Senate elections, 2018
U.S. House elections, 2018

Voters in Maine elected one member to the U.S. Senate in the election on November 6, 2018.

The election filled the Class 1 Senate seat held by Angus King (I). He was first elected in 2012. This seat was rated, on average, Likely Independent by three outlets as of January 25, 2018.[1] King was elected as an independent but caucuses with the Senate Democrats.

The Washington Post reported in December 2017 that President Donald Trump (R) was encouraging Maine Gov. Paul LePage (R) to enter the Senate race to challenge King.[2]





Candidates and election results

See also: Statistics on U.S. Congress candidates, 2018

General election

General election for U.S. Senate Maine

Incumbent Angus King defeated Eric Brakey and Zak Ringelstein in the general election for U.S. Senate Maine on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Angus King
Angus King (Independent)
 
54.3
 
344,575
Image of Eric Brakey
Eric Brakey (R)
 
35.2
 
223,502
Image of Zak Ringelstein
Zak Ringelstein (D)
 
10.4
 
66,268
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.0
 
64

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 634,409
(100.00% precincts reporting)
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Maine

Zak Ringelstein advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Maine on June 12, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Zak Ringelstein
Zak Ringelstein
 
100.0
 
89,841

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.

Total votes: 89,841
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. Senate Maine

Eric Brakey advanced from the Republican primary for U.S. Senate Maine on June 12, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Eric Brakey
Eric Brakey
 
100.0
 
59,853

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 59,853
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates


Campaign themes

Independent Angus King

King’s campaign website stated the following:

“

Issues
From his first day in the Senate, Senator King has worked hard to ensure every Mainer’s voice is heard in Washington – no matter who they are, how much they make or what side of the aisle they identify with.

As an independent, Senator King isn’t beholden to any political party or Super PAC – he believes what makes Maine such a remarkable state is its people, and that’s why people are always at the heart of his work and the issues he takes on.

From securing more comprehensive health care for our veterans to lowering college costs for countless students, from working to strengthen Social Security to pouring everything he’s got into ending the opioid crisis, Senator King is committed to fighting the fights that matter most to the 1.3 million folks who call Maine home.

Veterans

Health Care

Jobs and the Economy

Opioids

National Security

Environment & Renewable Energy[3]

”
—Angus King’s campaign website (2018)[4]

Democratic Party Zak Ringelstein

Ringelstein’s campaign website stated the following:

“

We are fighting to unrig the system so that every American can thrive.

We must get money out of politics to achieve this.

GET MONEY OUT OF POLITICS

ENACT MEDICARE FOR ALL

MAKE A GREEN NEW DEAL

INVEST IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS

SALUTE OUR MILITARY AND GIVE VETERANS TOP-NOTCH SERVICES

MAKE THE RICH PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE OF TAXES

CREATE LIVING WAGE JOBS

STRENGTHEN AMERICAN FAMILIES

ENSURE WOMEN'S EQUALITY

REDUCE INCOME INEQUALITY

GIVE SENIORS RESPECT AND PURPOSE

PROMOTE GLOBAL PEACE AND HUMAN RIGHTS

END THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC

FIGHT FOR RACIAL JUSTICE

SUPPORT IMMIGRANTS AND NEW AMERICANS

EMBRACE OUR LGBTQ+ COMMUNITIES

ENSURE STUDENTS GRADUATE COLLEGE WITHOUT DEBT

EMPOWER INDIGENOUS PEOPLES

SUPPORT PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

CALL AMERICANS TO PUBLIC SERVICE[3]

”
—Zak Ringelstein’s campaign website (2018)[5]

Republican Party Eric Brakey

Brakey’s campaign website stated the following:

“

HEALTHCARE

We all know the old saying, 'The customer is always right.' That’s why competitive businesses regularly bend over backward to ensure their customers are satisfied with the goods and services provided, always looking for new ways to provide better quality at lower prices.

Sadly, our healthcare system isn’t working this way. As far as patients are concerned, healthcare is increasingly expensive for services that are stagnant in quality. Why is this happening?

This is happening because our healthcare system is focused on serving its customers — but sadly, we the patients are not the customers. Instead, big government and big insurance companies have stepped between us and our doctors — taking our money and paying on our behalf — stealing the power of the customer for themselves so healthcare providers cater to their needs, not ours. Meanwhile, us little guys, the patients, are treated like products on an assembly line.

If we are going to improve healthcare for the little guy, we need to give power and choice to the patients, not to big government or big insurance companies.

Our healthcare system is a tangled, expensive web of policies and regulations that result in Americans not being able to access the care they need — or paying too much for insurance and care. ObamaCare has failed, and Americans are hurting because of it.

We must look to free-market solutions to spur innovation, increase competition and give patients control over their own healthcare decisions.

Big government solutions are not working, and they cannot be the answer for our future.

CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS

All American citizens have basic Constitutional rights that cannot be violated. Unfortunately, we have seen our federal government creep further and further into our lives, and our rights are being compromised as a result.

The Second Amendment is constantly under attack across the nation by well-funded liberal groups. In the Maine Senate, I have been a leader in protecting Mainers’ Second Amendment rights. During my first term I sponsored Constitutional Carry legislation. As a result, law-abiding Mainers no longer need a permission slip from government to carry a concealed firearm.

Our Congress recently reauthorized FISA without protections for Americans’ Fourth Amendment rights. Warrantless spying on innocent American citizens is simply wrong. As a United States Senator, I will work to ensure that we have privacy rights built into policies such as FISA. We must defend our nation, but we cannot relinquish our rights to do so.

And, the Attorney General has recently taken us down a dangerous path on the rights established for states in the Tenth Amendment. I believe that when it comes to matters like cannabis policy, the federal government needs to step out of the way and let states make their own choices. States’ rights are a cornerstone of our nation’s founding, and the more power the federal government takes from the states, the further power moves away from the people and where it really belongs.

In the United States Senate, I will stand up for each and every one of our rights that are enshrined in the Constitution. Our liberty is too precious to be taken for granted, and I will defend it at every turn.

FOREIGN POLICY

I believe that our foreign policy must put America First.

America cannot be the world’s policeman. Nor should we ask our taxpayers to send money to foreign governments that work against our interests.

Our military is over-extended, with a presence in 177 countries across the world. We have been fighting wars in Afghanistan and Iraq for over a decade. American lives are being put at risk every day for nation-building efforts that are not working.

Defending our nation is the most important role of our federal government, but in doing so we must be sure that our actions are within the Constitution and are in the best interest of our nation.

The Constitution tasks Congress with the serious responsibility of declaring war. War should never be a unilateral decision; sending our men and women overseas to die for their country is a decision that should be long debated and considered as the serious, weighty decision that it is.

America must defend itself, and we must defend our founding principles as we do so.

IMMIGRATION

Milton Friedman was right when he said that we cannot have open borders and a welfare state. It simply does not work.

Our immigration policy must include a strong, comprehensive security solution for our border. Any approach to security should be multifaceted, combining a physical structure with aerial surveillance and other technologies to support our border patrol agents.

And we cannot have America be a destination for welfare benefits. We must reform our social safety nets so that we do not have welfare as an enticement for people to come to our nation.

We must defend our nation, and put our citizens first. In the State Senate, I have a track record of advocating that we need to make citizens our first priority, sponsoring legislation to end welfare benefits for non-citizens so that our limited resources can be used for our most needy and vulnerable citizens.

Americans are a generous people, but we cannot be foolish. For our own safety and economic well-being, our immigration system must serve America’s interests.

A REAL PLAN TO REIGN IN OVER-SPENDING

1. NO INCREASES IN SPENDING UNLESS OFFSET WITH DECREASES IN SPENDING.
Congress loves to spend money they don’t have. Sometimes there are legitimate new spending needs that arise, and we can accommodate those needs.

We cannot, however, continue piling on more and more spending without accompanying cuts when we are $20 trillion in debt.

When Washington DC prioritizes everything, they are really prioritizing nothing. If a new priority arises, let’s make it a real priority and pay for it with cuts to spending elsewhere in the budget, not by saddling Americans with more debt.

2. INSTITUTE THE 'PENNY PLAN'
Benjamin Franklin told us, “A penny saved is a penny earned.”

If we cut just one penny for every dollar spent in Washington DC, then over ten years we would save $8.7 trillion.

We all know there is waste and bloat in government. Washington DC spent $850,000 on a televised cricket league in Afghanistan, $450,000 on a video game to teach children about climate change and half a million studying whether selfies make you happy.

If they can afford to waste our money on programs like these, we can afford to cut them by a penny.

3. REAL BUDGETING.
No more phony cuts.

Do you know what they call it when they plan to increase spending by 15%, but instead it goes up by 10%? They call that a 5% cut.

If you planned to gain 15 pounds, but instead you only gained 10, did you lose 5 pounds? Of course not.

This is phony math designed to fool us into giving them more of our money. It is time for Washington DC to live under a real budget.

4. SOCIAL SECURITY PRESERVATION ACT.
Social Security is in danger because Congress can’t control its spending addiction. In order to keep riding their spending high, they have regularly raided Social Security, spending our retirement money on their pet projects and giving us IOUs they can’t pay for.

We shouldn’t let the fox guard the hen house any longer. The Social Security Preservation Act would protect our Social Security dollars from the politicians by placing it all in a trust fund that they can’t touch: preserving the program for our seniors today and future generations tomorrow.

5. GIVE SENIORS GREATER USE OF PRIVATE CONTRACTING IN MEDICARE.
Repeal policy forcing seniors to get Medicare if they want social security and enact President Trump’s plan to allow seniors to make tax-deductible contributions to Medicare Healthcare Savings Accounts in exchange for means-testing benefits for upper-income seniors.

With this plan, we can both improve choice and quality for our seniors, while shoring up the solvency of Medicare so that it continues to function for our most vulnerable.

ENDING CORPORATE WELFARE AND DRAINING THE SWAMP

America was founded on the promise that you can succeed in the country, not based on who you know in government, but based on what you can do for your neighbors.

GOVERNMENT SPENDING & TAXES

Our national debt is growing at a rate of $1 million a minute.

We have $20 trillion in debts and $100 trillion in unfunded liabilities. Between the two, every American taxpayer is on the hook for $1 million each.

And yet, Washington still asks taxpayers for more.

Washington, DC is the richest region in America and the rest of the country simply cannot afford for it to remain so.

Corporate welfare payments that give favors to special interests on the backs of average Americans must be cut. Foreign aid to countries that burn our flag and work against our interests must be cut.

And our bureaucracy must be trimmed — our founders would roll over in their graves if they knew how large our federal government has become. Doing so will take hard votes and standing up to the special interests who profit from government largesse, but I will not back down. As your United States Senator, I will work to bring our government back under control.[3]

”
—Eric Brakey’s campaign website (2018)[6]

Key votes

Key votes cast by King

Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) cast the following key votes—votes that help citizens understand where their legislators stand on major policy issues—during the 115th Congress, which convened on January 3, 2017, and adjourned on January 3, 2019.

Campaign finance

The chart below contains data from financial reports submitted to the Federal Election Commission.

Name Party Receipts* Disbursements** Cash on hand Date
Angus King Independent $5,508,241 $5,150,506 $385,671 As of December 31, 2018
Zak Ringelstein Democratic Party $390,115 $386,952 $3,163 As of December 31, 2018
Eric Brakey Republican Party $962,795 $962,183 $612 As of December 31, 2018

Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2018. This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

* According to the FEC, "Receipts are anything of value (money, goods, services or property) received by a political committee."
** According to the FEC, a disbursement "is a purchase, payment, distribution, loan, advance, deposit or gift of money or anything of value to influence a federal election," plus other kinds of payments not made to influence a federal election.


Noteworthy events

Brett Kavanaugh confirmation vote

See also: Supreme Court vacancy, 2018: An overview

On October 6, 2018, the U.S. Senate voted to confirm the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court. Fifty senators voted to confirm Kavanaugh's nomination, 48 voted against, and Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) voted present. A simple majority was required to confirm Kavanaugh.[47]

King voted against Kavanaugh's confirmation based on his public statements and rulings. He added in a statement that "the deeply conservative dark money groups investing millions in those glossy TV ads we are seeing about what a nice guy he is know exactly what they are getting, and it’s not balls and strikes. The existence of this campaign probably tells us more about what kind of judge he will be than any opinion, speech, or Senate testimony."[48]

Ringelstein said he would have voted against Kavanaugh's confirmation. He called his appointment "an existential threat to justice in America."[49]

Brakey said he would have voted to confirm Kavanaugh. He tweeted, "[F]ake Independent @SenAngusKing surprises no one, siding with @SenSchumer and @NancyPelosi once again."[50]

Who is going to win?

Race ratings

See also: Race rating definitions and methods
Race ratings: U.S. Senate election in Maine, 2018
Race trackerRace ratings
October 30, 2018October 23, 2018October 16, 2018October 9, 2018
The Cook Political ReportSolid DemocraticSolid DemocraticSolid DemocraticSolid Democratic
Inside Elections with Nathan L. GonzalesSolid DemocraticSolid DemocraticSolid DemocraticSolid Democratic
Larry J. Sabato's Crystal BallSafe DemocraticSafe DemocraticSafe DemocraticSafe Democratic
Note: Ballotpedia updates external race ratings every two weeks throughout the election season.

Ranked-choice voting

On November 8, 2016, Maine voters approved the Maine Ranked Choice Voting Initiative, which provided for the use of ranked-choice voting (RCV) in both primary and general elections for United States senators, United States representatives, the governor, state senators, and state representatives. On February 2, 2017, the Maine State Senate voted 24 to 10 to ask the Maine Supreme Judicial Court to review the initiative and issue an advisory opinion on its constitutionality. On May 23, 2017, the Maine Supreme Judicial Court issued a unanimous advisory opinion finding that the law's provisions applying to general elections for state legislators and the governor violated the state constitution.[51][52][53][54]

A repeal bill introduced in light of the advisory opinion failed to clear the legislature, as did a bill providing for partial implementation (for those offices not affected by the advisory opinion) and a bill providing for a constitutional amendment to allow for full implementation. During a special legislative session convened on October 23, 2017, the state legislature approved LD 1646, a bill delaying the implementation of RCV pending voter approval of a constitutional amendment to allow for the use of RCV. The bill set a deadline of December 1, 2021, and provided for the repeal of ranked-choice voting if an amendment was not passed by that date. RCV proponents initiated a veto referendum campaign to overturn the bill. On March 5, 2018, the secretary of state announced that a sufficient number of valid signatures had been submitted to place the referendum on the June 12, 2018, primary election ballot, meaning that LD 1646 would be suspended and ranked-choice voting would be used for federal and state offices in the June 2018 primary election. If LD 1646 is repealed as a result of the veto referendum, RCV will remain in place unless the legislature or the courts take actions to change the statute. If LD 1646 is upheld, the law's provisions as described above will take effect.[55][56][57][58][59][60]

On March 29, 2018, Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap (D) announced that he had been notified by Assistant Attorney General Phyllis Gardiner of "legal concerns regarding the implementation of ranked-choice voting" that might prohibit its use in the June 2018 primary election. On April 3, 2018, Kennebec County Superior Court Justice Michaela Murphy issued an opinion in Committee for Ranked-Choice Voting v. Dunlap ordering state officials to proceed with the implementation of ranked-choice voting in June. Murphy wrote the following in her opinion: "The uncertainty that halting the ranked-choice voting implementation process at this late date causes is significant. Clarity, stability and public confidence are essential to ensure the legitimacy of Maine elections." In a separate lawsuit, Senate of Maine v. Dunlap, the Maine Supreme Judicial Court ruled unanimously that "ranked-choice voting is the current statutory law of Maine for the primary elections to be held on June 12, 2018." The court noted that its ruling "focuses only on the June 2018 primary election; it does not address any other potential application of ranked-choice voting in Maine," allowing for the possibility of further substantive challenges to the law's validity in future elections.[61][62][63][64]

Other 2018 statewide elections

See also: States with both gubernatorial and U.S. Senate elections in 2018

This race took place in one of twenty-two states that held elections for both governor and U.S. Senate in 2018.

A table of where these elections occurred, the names of incumbents prior to the 2018 elections, and links to our coverage of these races can be viewed by clicking "[show]" on the banner below:

Wave election analysis

See also: Wave elections (1918-2016)

The term wave election is frequently used to describe an election cycle in which one party makes significant electoral gains. How many seats would Republicans have had to lose for the 2018 midterm election to be considered a wave election?

Ballotpedia examined the results of the 50 election cycles that occurred between 1918 and 2016—spanning from President Woodrow Wilson's (D) second midterm in 1918 to Donald Trump's (R) first presidential election in 2016. We define wave elections as the 20 percent of elections in that period resulting in the greatest seat swings against the president's party.

Applying this definition to U.S. Senate elections, we found that Republicans needed to lose seven seats for 2018 to qualify as a wave election.

The chart below shows the number of seats the president's party lost in the 10 U.S. Senate waves from 1918 to 2016. Click here to read the full report.

U.S. Senate wave elections
Year President Party Election type Senate seats change Senate majority[65]
1932 Hoover R Presidential -13 D (flipped)
1958 Eisenhower R Second midterm -12 D
1946 Truman D First midterm -10 R (flipped)
1980 Carter D Presidential -9 R (flipped)
2014 Obama D Second midterm -9 R (flipped)
1942 Roosevelt D Third midterm -8 D
2008 George W. Bush D Presidential -8 D
1926 Coolidge R First midterm[66] -7 R
1930 Hoover R First midterm -7 R
1986 Reagan R Second midterm -7 D (flipped)

Election history

2014

U.S. Senate, Maine General Election, 2014
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngSusan Collins Incumbent 67% 413,505
     Democratic Shenna Bellows 30.8% 190,254
     Other Other 0% 269
     Blank None 2.1% 12,968
Total Votes 616,996
Source: Maine Secretary of State Official Results

2012

U.S. Senate, Maine General Election, 2012
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Independent Green check mark transparent.pngAngus King 51.1% 370,580
     Democratic Cynthia Dill 12.8% 92,900
     Republican Charles Summers 29.7% 215,399
     Libertarian Andrew Ian Dodge 0.8% 5,624
     Independent Danny Francis Dalton 0.8% 5,807
     Independent Stephen Woods 1.4% 10,289
     N/A Blank Votes 3.3% 24,121
Total Votes 724,720
Source: Maine Secretary of State "United States Senate Election Results"

Pivot Counties

See also: Pivot Counties by state

Eight of 16 Maine counties—50 percent—are Pivot Counties. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.

Counties won by Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008
County Trump margin of victory in 2016 Obama margin of victory in 2012 Obama margin of victory in 2008
Androscoggin County, Maine 9.38% 12.78% 15.22%
Aroostook County, Maine 17.19% 7.62% 9.58%
Franklin County, Maine 5.47% 18.41% 20.29%
Kennebec County, Maine 3.58% 13.46% 14.78%
Oxford County, Maine 12.94% 14.73% 16.04%
Penobscot County, Maine 10.91% 2.93% 5.12%
Somerset County, Maine 22.67% 1.68% 5.70%
Washington County, Maine 18.44% 1.60% 1.01%

In the 2016 presidential election, Hillary Clinton (D) won Maine with 47.8 percent of the vote. Donald Trump (R) received 44.9 percent. In 2016, Maine had four electoral votes. Maine's share of electoral votes represented 0.7 percent of the 538 electoral votes up for grabs in the general election and 1.5 percent of the 270 votes needed to be elected president. Maine awards its electoral votes by congressional district and the popular vote. It has two electoral votes for the statewide vote and one for each of its two congressional districts. In presidential elections between 1820 and 2016, Maine voted Republican 67.3 percent of the time and Democratic 32.6 percent of the time. In the five presidential elections between 2000 and 2016, Maine voted Democratic all five times.[67]

Presidential results by legislative district

The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state House districts in Maine. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[68][69]

In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 129 out of 151 state House districts in Maine with an average margin of victory of 19.2 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 69 out of 151 state House districts in Maine with an average margin of victory of 23.7 points. Clinton won nine districts controlled by Republicans heading into the 2018 elections.
In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 22 out of 151 state House districts in Maine with an average margin of victory of 8.7 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 82 out of 151 state House districts in Maine with an average margin of victory of 16 points. Trump won 17 districts controlled by Democrats heading into the 2018 elections.

State overview

Partisan control

This section details the partisan control of federal and state positions in Maine heading into the 2018 elections.

Congressional delegation

  • Following the 2016 elections, an independent held one U.S. Senate seat and a Republican held the other.
  • A Democrat held one of Maine's two U.S. House seats, and a Republican held the other.

State executives

  • As of September 2018, Democrats held two of 10 state executive positions, a Republican and an independent each held one, and the remaining positions were officially nonpartisan.
  • The governor of Maine was Republican Paul LePage. The state held an election for governor on November 6, 2018. Maine does not have a lieutenant governor.

State legislature

  • Democrats controlled the state House. They had a 73-70 majority in the state House. Republicans control the Maine State Senate. They had an 18-17 majority in the chamber.

Trifecta status

  • Maine was under divided government, meaning that the two parties shared control of the state government. Paul LePage (R) served as governor and Republicans controlled the state Senate while Democrats controlled the state House.

2018 elections

See also: Maine elections, 2018

Maine held elections for the following positions in 2018:

Demographics

Demographic data for Maine
 MaineU.S.
Total population:1,329,453316,515,021
Land area (sq mi):30,8433,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White:95%73.6%
Black/African American:1.1%12.6%
Asian:1.1%5.1%
Native American:0.6%0.8%
Pacific Islander:0%0.2%
Two or more:2%3%
Hispanic/Latino:1.5%17.1%
Education
High school graduation rate:91.6%86.7%
College graduation rate:29%29.8%
Income
Median household income:$49,331$53,889
Persons below poverty level:16.6%11.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015)
Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Maine.
**Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

As of July 2016, Maine's three largest cities were Portland (pop. est. 65,000), Lewiston (pop. est. 35,000), and Bangor (pop. est. 30,000).[70]

State election history

This section provides an overview of federal and state elections in Maine from 2000 to 2016. All data comes from the Maine Secretary of State and the Federal Election Commission.

Historical elections

Presidential elections, 2000-2016

This chart shows the results of the presidential election in Maine every year from 2000 to 2016.

Election results (President of the United States), Maine 2000-2016
Year First-place candidate First-place candidate votes (%) Second-place candidate Second-place candidate votes (%) Margin of victory (%)
2016 Democratic Party Hillary Clinton 47.8% Republican Party Donald Trump 44.9% 2.9%
2012 Democratic Party Barack Obama 56.3% Republican Party Mitt Romney 41.0% 15.3%
2008 Democratic Party Barack Obama 57.7% Republican Party John McCain 40.4% 17.3%
2004 Democratic Party John Kerry 53.6% Republican Party George W. Bush 44.6% 9.0%
2000 Democratic Party Al Gore 49.1% Republican Party George W. Bush 44.0% 5.1%

U.S. Senate elections, 2000-2016

This chart shows the results of U.S. Senate races in Maine from 2000 to 2016. Every state has two Senate seats, and each seat goes up for election every six years. The terms of the seats are staggered so that roughly one-third of the seats are up every two years.

Election results (U.S. Senator), Maine 2000-2016
Year First-place candidate First-place candidate votes (%) Second-place candidate Second-place candidate votes (%) Margin of victory (%)
2014 Republican Party Susan Collins 67.0% Democratic Party Shenna Bellows 30.8% 36.2%
2012 Grey.png Angus King 51.1% Republican Party Charles Summers 29.7% 21.4%
2008 Republican Party Susan Collins 61.3% Democratic Party Thomas H. Allen 38.6% 22.7%
2006 Republican Party Olympia Snowe 74.0% Democratic Party Jean Hay Bright 20.6% 53.4%
2002 Republican Party Susan Collins 58.4% Democratic Party Chellie Pingree 41.6% 16.8%
2000 Republican Party Olympia Snowe 68.9% Democratic Party Mark Lawrence 31.1% 37.8%

Gubernatorial elections, 2000-2016

This chart shows the results of the four gubernatorial elections held between 2000 and 2016. Gubernatorial elections are held every four years in Maine.

Election results (Governor), Maine 2000-2016
Year First-place candidate First-place candidate votes (%) Second-place candidate Second-place candidate votes (%) Margin of victory (%)
2014 Republican Party Paul LePage 48.2% Democratic Party Mike Michaud 43.4% 4.8%
2010 Republican Party Paul LePage 37.6% Grey.png Eliot Cutler 35.9% 1.7%
2006 Democratic Party John E. Baldacci 38.1% Republican Party Chandler E. Woodcock 30.2% 7.9%
2002 Democratic Party John E. Baldacci 47.1% Republican Party Peter E. Cianchette 41.5% 5.6%

Congressional delegation, 2000-2016

This chart shows the number of Democrats and Republicans who were elected to represent Maine in the U.S. House from 2000 to 2016. Elections for U.S. House seats are held every two years.

Congressional delegation, Maine 2000-2016
Year Republicans Republicans (%) Democrats Democrats (%) Balance of power
2016 Republican Party 1 50.0% Democratic Party 1 50.0% Even
2014 Republican Party 1 50.0% Democratic Party 1 50.0% Even
2012 Republican Party 0 0% Democratic Party 2 100% D+2
2010 Republican Party 0 0% Democratic Party 2 100% D+2
2008 Republican Party 0 0% Democratic Party 2 100% D+2
2006 Republican Party 0 0% Democratic Party 2 100% D+2
2004 Republican Party 0 0% Democratic Party 2 100% D+2
2002 Republican Party 0 0% Democratic Party 2 100% D+2
2000 Republican Party 0 0% Democratic Party 2 100% D+2

Trifectas, 1992-2017

A state government trifecta occurs when one party controls both chambers of the state legislature and the governor's office.

Maine Party Control: 1992-2025
Fifteen years of Democratic trifectas  •  Two years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

Year 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
Governor R R R I I I I I I I I D D D D D D D D R R R R R R R R D D D D D D D
Senate D D D R R D D D D S S D D D D D D D D R R D D R R R R D D D D D D D
House D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D R R D D D D D D D D D D D D D


See also

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Ratings are based on projections found in Governing, Larry Sabato, The Rothenberg & Gonzales Political Report, Decision Desk HQ, and The Cook Political Report. These ratings are updated periodically throughout the election season.
  2. ↑ The Washington Post, "Trump wants LePage to challenge King in U.S. Senate race in Maine," December 6, 2017
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  4. ↑ Angus for Maine, "Issues," accessed October 19, 2018
  5. ↑ Ringelstein for Maine, "Issues," accessed October 19, 2018
  6. ↑ Brakey U.S. Senate, "On the Issues," accessed October 19, 2018
  7. ↑ Senate.gov, "On the Motion (Motion to Concur in the House Amendment with an Amendment)," December 18, 2018
  8. ↑ Senate.gov, "On the Conference Report (Conference Report to Accompany H.R. 2)," December 11, 2018
  9. ↑ Senate.gov, "On the Nomination (Confirmation Brett M. Kavanaugh, of Maryland, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States)," October 6, 2018
  10. ↑ Senate.gov, "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture Re: Brett M. Kavanaugh to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States)," October 5, 2018
  11. ↑ Senate.gov, "On Passage of the Bill (H.R. 2, As Amended)," June 28, 2018
  12. ↑ Senate.gov, "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture on Amdt. No. 1959)," February 15, 2018
  13. ↑ Senate.gov, "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture on Amdt. No. 1958 As Modified)," February 15, 2018
  14. ↑ Senate.gov, "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture on Amdt. No. 1948)," February 15, 2018
  15. ↑ Senate.gov, "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture on Amdt. No. 1955)," February 15, 2018
  16. ↑ Senate.gov, "On Cloture on the Motion to Proceed (Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to the Consideration of S. 2311)," January 29, 2018
  17. ↑ Senate.gov, "On the Amendment (McConnell Amdt. No. 667)," July 28, 2017
  18. ↑ Senate.gov, "On the Amendment (Paul Amdt. No. 271 )," July 26, 2017
  19. ↑ Senate.gov, "On the Motion (Motion to Waive All Applicable Budgetary Discipline Re: Amdt. No. 270)," July 25, 2017
  20. ↑ Senate.gov, "On the Motion to Proceed (Motion to Proceed to H.R. 1628)," July 25, 2017
  21. ↑ U.S. Senate, "On the Nomination (Confirmation: Neil M. Gorsuch, of Colorado, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States)," April 7, 2017
  22. ↑ U.S. Senate, "On the Cloture Motion (Upon Reconsideration, Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Nomination of Neil M. Gorsuch of Colorado, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States)," April 6, 2017
  23. ↑ U.S. Senate, "On the Decision of the Chair (Shall the Decision of the Chair Stand as the Judgment of the Senate?)," April 6, 2017
  24. ↑ U.S. Senate, "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Nomination of Neil M. Gorsuch, of Colorado, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States)," April 6, 2017
  25. ↑ Senate.gov, "On the Conference Report (Conference Report to Accompany H.R. 6157)," September 18, 2018
  26. ↑ Senate.gov, "On the Conference Report (Conference Report to Accompany H.R. 5895)," September 12, 2018
  27. ↑ Senate.gov, "On Passage of the Bill (H. R. 6157 As Amended)," August 23, 2018
  28. ↑ Senate.gov, "On Passage of the Bill (H.R. 5895 As Amended)," June 25, 2018
  29. ↑ Senate.gov, "On the Motion (Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 1625)," March 23, 2018
  30. ↑ Senate.gov, "On the Motion (Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 1892 with an Amendment (SA 1930))," February 9, 2018
  31. ↑ Senate.gov, "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 695)," February 8, 2018
  32. ↑ Senate.gov, "On the Motion (Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment with Further Amendment)," January 22, 2018
  33. ↑ Senate.gov, "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture: Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 195)," January 22, 2018
  34. ↑ Senate.gov, "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture: House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 195)," January 19, 2018
  35. ↑ Senate.gov, "On the Motion (Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 1370)," December 21, 2017
  36. ↑ Senate.gov, "On the Motion to Recede from the Senate Amendment to H.R. 1 and Concur with Further Amendment ," December 20, 2017
  37. ↑ Senate.gov, "On the Joint Resolution (H.J. Res. 123)," December 7, 2017
  38. ↑ Senate.gov, "On Passage of the Bill (H.R. 1 As Amended )," December 2, 2017
  39. ↑ Senate.gov, "On the Concurrent Resolution (H. Con. Res. 71 As Amended)," October 19, 2017
  40. ↑ Senate.gov, "On the Motion (Motion to Concur in the House Amdt. to the Senate Amdt. with an Amdt. No. 808 to H.R. 601)," September 7, 2017
  41. ↑ U.S. Senate, "On the Motion (Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 244)," May 4, 2017
  42. ↑ Senate.gov, "On the Joint Resolution (S.J. Res. 54, As Amended), December 13, 2018
  43. ↑ Senate.gov, "On Passage of the Bill (H.R. 2810 As Amended)," September 18, 2017
  44. ↑ The Hill, "Senate sends $692B defense policy bill to Trump's desk," November 15, 2017
  45. ↑ Senate.gov, "On Passage of the Bill (H.R. 3364)," July 27, 2017
  46. ↑ Senate.gov, "On Passage of the Bill (S. 722 As Amended)," June 15, 2017
  47. ↑ New York Times, "Kavanaugh Is Sworn In After Close Confirmation Vote in Senate Video," October 6, 2018
  48. ↑ Angus King, "After Thorough Review, King Announces Opposition to Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s Nomination to Supreme Court," September 12, 2018
  49. ↑ Twitter, "Ringelstein for Maine," September 10, 2018
  50. ↑ Twitter, "Senator Brakey," September 12, 2018
  51. ↑ League of Women Voters, "Citizen Referendum on Ranked Choice Voting," accessed November 13, 2014
  52. ↑ Maine Legislature, "SO 12," accessed February 3, 2017
  53. ↑ Maine Public Radio, "Maine Supreme Court: Ranked Choice Voting Law Conflicts with State Constitution," May 23, 2017
  54. ↑ Bangor Daily News, "Maine Supreme Judicial Court rules ranked-choice voting unconstitutional," May 23, 2017
  55. ↑ Maine Legislature, "LD 1646 Overview," accessed October 24, 2017
  56. ↑ Portland Press Herald, "Ranked-choice voting supporters to begin 'people’s veto' campaign today," November 6, 2017
  57. ↑ Ballot Access News, "Maine Referendum in Support of Ranked Choice Voting Gathers 33,000 Signatures on First Day," November 14, 2017
  58. ↑ Ballot Access News, "Maine Referendum to Save Ranked-Choice Voting is Two-Thirds Finished," December 19, 2017
  59. ↑ Ballot Access News, "Maine Ranked Choice Voting Supporters Submit Petition on Friday, February 2," February 1, 2018
  60. ↑ Bristol Herald Courier, "Maine races to implement election overhaul before June vote," March 25, 2018
  61. ↑ Department of the Secretary of State, State of Maine, "Secretary Dunlap seeking guidance on implementation of ranked-choice voting," March 29, 2018
  62. ↑ Portland Press Herald, "Doubt surrounds Maine’s plan to use ranked-choice voting in June 12 primaries," March 29, 2018
  63. ↑ Bangor Daily News, "Maine’s top court asked to make deciding call on ranked-choice voting," April 11, 2018
  64. ↑ Maine Supreme Judicial Court, "Maine Senate v. Secretary of State et al.: Per Curiam," April 17, 2018
  65. ↑ Denotes the party that had more seats in the U.S. House following the election.
  66. ↑ Calvin Coolidge's (R) first term began in August 1923 after the death of President Warren Harding (R), who was first elected in 1920. Before he had his first midterm in 1926, Coolidge was re-elected as president in 1924.
  67. ↑ 270towin.com, "Maine," accessed June 1, 2017
  68. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
  69. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017
  70. ↑ Maine Demographics, "Maine Cities by Population," accessed September 6, 2018
v • e
2017-2018 Elections to the United States Congress
Senate by StateCongressLogo.png
House by State
Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • Nevada • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • Utah • Vermont • Virginia • Washington • West Virginia • Wisconsin • Wyoming
Election information
Super PACs/Organizations
v • e
Ballotpedia
About
Editorial Content
Geoff Pallay, Director of Editorial Content and Editor-in-Chief • Ken Carbullido, Vice President of Election Product and Technology Strategy • Norm Leahy, Senior Editor • Daniel Anderson, Managing Editor • Ryan Byrne, Managing Editor • Cory Eucalitto, Managing Editor • Mandy McConnell, Managing Editor • Doug Kronaizl, Local Elections Project Manager • Jaclyn Beran • Marielle Bricker • Joseph Brusgard • Emma Burlingame • Kelly Coyle • Thomas Ellis • Frank Festa • Nicole Fisher • Brianna Hosea • Joseph Greaney • Thomas Grobben • Jaime Healy-Plotkin • Tyler King • Glorie Martinez • Nathan Maxwell • Ellie Mikus • Jackie Mitchell • Ellen Morrissey • Mackenzie Murphy • Kaley Platek • Samantha Post • Adam Powell • Ethan Rice • Spencer Richardson • Victoria Rose • Briana Ryan • Myj Saintyl • Maddy Salucka • Maddie Sinclair Johnson • Abbey Smith • Alexis Thacker • Janie Valentine • Joel Williams • Samuel Wonacott • Trenton Woodcox



Maine's current delegation to the United States Congress
Senators
Susan Collins (R)
Angus King (I)
Representatives
District 1
District 2
Democratic Party (2)
Republican Party (1)
Independent (1)

Retrieved from "https://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php?title=United_States_Senate_election_in_Maine,_2018&oldid=7620794"