Overview
- The Maine Secretary of State completed the ranked‑choice tabulation on Thursday, producing a final result of roughly 50.8% for Paul LePage to 49.2% for Matt Dunlap and a margin of about 5,400–5,500 votes.
- The Associated Press and state officials called the race after the livestreamed count finished, and the margin was larger than the threshold for a state‑funded recount.
- Matt Dunlap conceded before the official ranked‑choice run, and LePage has attended House new‑member orientation in Washington while the state completed the tabulation.
- Ranked‑choice voting was triggered because Maine law counts blank and declared write‑in ballots in the total needed for a first‑round majority, so the initial first‑choice totals did not produce a winner and transfers were required.
- LePage will succeed retiring Democrat Jared Golden, giving Republicans one of only three blue‑to‑red House flips this cycle and leaving him as the lone GOP member of Maine’s congressional delegation; LePage has previously been a vocal critic of ranked‑choice voting.