Contents

Maine's 2nd congressional district

Maine's 2nd congressional district
Maine's 2nd congressional district since January 3, 2023
Representative	Jared Golden D–Lewiston
Distribution	72.11% rural 27.89% urban
Population (2022)	687,642
Median household income	$59,676
Ethnicity	90.9% White 4.0% Two or more races 1.7% Hispanic 1.5% Black 0.8% Asian 0.8% Native American 0.3% other
Cook PVI	R+6[1]

Maine's 2nd congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. stateofMaine. Covering 27,326 square miles (70,770 km²), it comprises nearly 80% of the state's total land area. The district comprises most of the land area north of the Portland and Augusta metropolitan areas. It includes the cities of Lewiston, Bangor, Auburn, and Presque Isle. The district is represented by Democrat Jared Golden, who took office in 2019.

It is the largest district by area east of the Mississippi River, and the 24th largest overall. It is the second-most rural district in the United States, with 72% of its population in rural areas, and it has the second highest proportion of non-Hispanic White residents (94%); only Kentucky's 5th congressional district exceeds it in the two categories.^[2] Furthermore, it is the only district in New England that voted for Donald Trumpin2020. Additionally, it was one of five districts that would have voted for Trump in 2020 had they existed in their current configuration while being won or held by a Democrat in 2022.

History[edit]

Until the Missouri Compromise was reached in 1820, Maine was a part of Massachusetts as the District of Maine. When it became a state in 1820, Maine had seven congressional districts credited to it (Massachusetts including Maine had been given 20 districts after the 1810 census). Since Maine became a state, all but two districts have been reallocated to other states.

In 2018, the district became the first in the United States to elect the ranked choice winner over the first-past-the-post winner, after a referendum in 2016 changed Maine's electoral system from the latter system to the former. Incumbent representative Bruce Poliquin won a plurality of the first preference votes. However, the second and third preferences from two independent candidates flowed overwhelmingly to Jared Golden, allowing him to win with 50.6% of the vote once all preferences were distributed.

Historically, the district has tended to keep its incumbents regardless of party. When Golden defeated two-term Republican incumbent Bruce Poliquin in 2018, it was the first time an incumbent had lost reelection in the district since 1916.^[3] Since 1965, the district's representatives have frequently sought statewide office. Three U.S. senators (Democrat William Hathaway and Republicans William Cohen and Olympia Snowe), one governor (Democrat John Baldacci), and one nominee for governor (Democrat Mike Michaud) all previously held the seat. Due to its size, the district's congressman is usually reckoned as a statewide figure; its footprint includes portions of all three television markets anchored in the state.

Composition[edit]

The boundaries of the district are open for reconsideration in light of population shifts revealed by the decennial US census. Until 2011, Maine's constitution provided for the state to reapportion the congressional districts based on census data every ten years beginning in 1983, which would have meant that the state was next due to consider redistricting in 2013. However, a federal lawsuit filed in March 2011 led to a requirement that Maine speed up its redistricting process.^[4] Maine state legislators approved new boundaries on September 27, 2011.^[5]

Election results from presidential races[edit]

InUS presidential elections, most states give all the state's electoral votes to the candidate that wins the statewide popular vote. This is a type of winner-takes-all voting. Maine and Nebraska instead use the congressional district method, where the winner in each of the state's congressional districts gets one electoral vote, and the statewide winner gets an additional two electoral votes. Since Maine introduced this system in 1969, Maine's second district voted the same way as the entire state of Maine for every election until 2016 and 2020.

List of members representing the district[edit]

Member	Party	Years ↑	Cong ress	Electoral history	District location
District created March 4, 1821
Ezekiel Whitman (Portland)	Federalist	March 4, 1821 – June 1, 1822	17th	Redistricted from the Massachusetts's 15th district and re-elected in 1820. Resigned.	1821–1823 Cumberland County: Brunswick, Cape Elizabeth, Danville, Durham, Falmouth, Freeport, Gorham, Gray, Harpswell, New Gloucester, North Yarmouth, Portland, Pownal, Scarborough, Westbrook, Windham
Vacant		June 1, 1822 – December 2, 1822
Mark Harris (Portland)	Democratic-Republican	December 2, 1822 – March 3, 1823		Elected to finish Whitman's term. Retired.
Stephen Longfellow (Portland)	Adams-Clay Federalist	March 4, 1823 – March 3, 1825	18th	Elected in 1823. Lost re-election.	1823–1833 Cumberland County: Brunswick, Cape Elizabeth, Cumberland, Danville, Durham, Falmouth, Freeport, Gorham, Gray, Harpswell, New Gloucester, North Yarmouth, Poland, Portland, Pownal, Raymond, Scarborough, Standish, Westbrook, Windham
John Anderson (Portland)	Jacksonian	March 4, 1825 – March 3, 1833	19th 20th 21st 22nd	Elected in 1824. Re-elected in 1826. Re-elected in 1828. Re-elected in 1830. Retired to run for Mayor of Portland.
Francis Smith (Portland)	Jacksonian	March 4, 1833 – March 3, 1837	23rd 24th 25th	Elected in 1833. Re-elected in 1834. Re-elected in 1836. Lost re-election.	1833–1843 [data missing]
	Democratic	March 4, 1837 – March 3, 1839
Albert Smith (Portland)	Democratic	March 4, 1839 – March 3, 1841	26th	Elected in 1838. Lost re-election.
William Pitt Fessenden (Portland)	Whig	March 4, 1841 – March 3, 1843	27th	Elected in 1840. Retired.
Robert P. Dunlap (Brunswick)	Democratic	March 4, 1843 – March 3, 1847	28th 29th	Elected in 1843. Re-elected in 1844. Retired.	1843–1853 [data missing]
Asa Clapp (Portland)	Democratic	March 4, 1847 – March 3, 1849	30th	Elected in 1846. Retired.
Nathaniel Littlefield (Bridgeton)	Democratic	March 4, 1849 – March 3, 1851	31st	Elected in 1848. Retired.
John Appleton (Portland)	Democratic	March 4, 1851 – March 3, 1853	32nd	Elected in 1850. Retired.
Samuel Mayall (Gray)	Democratic	March 4, 1853 – March 3, 1855	33rd	Elected in 1852. Retired.	1853–1863 [data missing]
John J. Perry (Oxford)	Opposition	March 4, 1855 – March 3, 1857	34th	Elected in 1854. Retired.
Charles J. Gilman (Brunswick)	Republican	March 4, 1857 – March 3, 1859	35th	Elected in 1856. Retired.
John J. Perry (Oxford)	Republican	March 4, 1859 – March 3, 1861	36th	Elected in 1858. Retired.
Charles W. Walton (Auburn)	Republican	March 4, 1861 – May 26, 1862	37th	Elected in 1860. Resigned on appointment as associate justice of Maine Supreme Judicial Court.
Vacant		May 26, 1862 – December 1, 1862
Thomas Fessenden (Auburn)	Republican	December 1, 1862 – March 3, 1863		Elected to finish Walton's term. Retired.
Sidney Perham (Paris)	Republican	March 4, 1863 – March 3, 1869	38th 39th 40th	Elected in 1862. Re-elected in 1864. Re-elected in 1866. Retired.	1863–1873 [data missing]
Samuel P. Morrill (Farmington)	Republican	March 4, 1869 – March 3, 1871	41st	Elected in 1868. Lost renomination.
William P. Frye (Lewiston)	Republican	March 4, 1871 – March 17, 1881	42nd 43rd 44th 45th 46th 47th	Elected in 1870. Re-elected in 1872. Re-elected in 1874. Re-elected in 1876. Re-elected in 1878. Re-elected in 1880. Resigned when elected U.S. senator.
1873–1883 [data missing]
	Vacant		March 17, 1881 – September 12, 1881	47th
	Nelson Dingley Jr. (Lewiston)	Republican	September 12, 1881 – March 3, 1883		Elected to finish Frye's term. Redistricted to the At-large district.
District inactive		March 3, 1883 – March 3, 1885	48th	At-large districts used
Nelson Dingley Jr. (Lewiston)	Republican	March 3, 1885 – January 13, 1899	49th 50th 51st 52nd 53rd 54th 55th	Redistricted from the At-large district and re-elected in 1884. Re-elected in 1886. Re-elected in 1888. Re-elected in 1890. Re-elected in 1892. Re-elected in 1894. Re-elected in 1896. Re-elected in 1898 but died before next term.	1885–1893 [data missing]
1893–1903 [data missing]
	Vacant		January 13, 1899 – June 19, 1899	55th 56th
	Charles E. Littlefield (Rockland)	Republican	June 19, 1899 – September 30, 1908	56th 57th 58th 59th 60th	Elected to finish Dingley's term. Re-elected in 1900. Re-elected in 1902. Re-elected in 1904. Re-elected in 1906. Resigned.
1903–1913 [data missing]
	Vacant		September 30, 1908 – November 3, 1908	60th
	John P. Swasey (Canton)	Republican	November 3, 1908 – March 3, 1911	60th 61st	Elected to finish Littlefield's term. Also elected to the next full term. Lost re-election.
	Daniel J. McGillicuddy (Lewiston)	Democratic	March 4, 1911 – March 3, 1917	62nd 63rd 64th	Elected in 1910. Re-elected in 1912. Re-elected in 1914. Lost re-election.
1913–1923 [data missing]
	Wallace H. White Jr. (Lewiston)	Republican	March 4, 1917 – March 3, 1931	65th 66th 67th 68th 69th 70th 71st	Elected in 1916. Re-elected in 1918. Re-elected in 1920. Re-elected in 1922. Re-elected in 1924. Re-elected in 1926. Re-elected in 1928. Retired to run for U.S. Senator.
1923–1933 [data missing]
	Donald B. Partridge (Norway)	Republican	March 4, 1931 – March 3, 1933	72nd	Elected in 1930. Retired.
Edward C. Moran Jr. (Rockland)	Democratic	March 4, 1933 – January 3, 1937	73rd 74th	Elected in 1932. Re-elected in 1934. Retired.	1933–1943 [data missing]
Clyde H. Smith (Skowhegan)	Republican	January 3, 1937 – April 8, 1940	75th 76th	Elected in 1936. Re-elected in 1938. Died.
Vacant		April 8, 1940 – June 3, 1940	76th
Margaret Chase Smith (Skowhegan)	Republican	June 3, 1940 – January 3, 1949	76th 77th 78th 79th 80th	Elected to finish her husband's term. Re-elected in 1940. Re-elected in 1942. Re-elected in 1944. Re-elected in 1946. Retired to run for U.S. Senator.
1943–1953 [data missing]
	Charles P. Nelson (Waterville)	Republican	January 3, 1949 – January 3, 1957	81st 82nd 83rd 84th	Elected in 1948. Re-elected in 1950. Re-elected in 1952. Re-elected in 1954. Retired.
1953–1963 [data missing]
	Frank M. Coffin (Lewiston)	Democratic	January 3, 1957 – January 3, 1961	85th 86th	Elected in 1956. Re-elected in 1958. Retired to run for governor.
	Stanley R. Tupper (Boothbay Harbor)	Republican	January 3, 1961 – January 3, 1963	87th	Elected in 1960. Redistricted to the 1st district.
Clifford G. McIntire (Perham)	Republican	January 3, 1963 – January 3, 1965	88th	Redistricted from the 3rd district and re-elected in 1962. Retired to run for U.S. Senator.	1963–1973 [data missing]
William Hathaway (Auburn)	Democratic	January 3, 1965 – January 3, 1973	89th 90th 91st 92nd	Elected in 1964. Re-elected in 1966. Re-elected in 1968. Re-elected in 1970. Retired to run for U.S. Senator.
William Cohen (Bangor)	Republican	January 3, 1973 – January 3, 1979	93rd 94th 95th	Elected in 1972. Re-elected in 1974. Re-elected in 1976. Retired to run for U.S. Senator.	1973–1983 [data missing]
Olympia Snowe (Auburn)	Republican	January 3, 1979 – January 3, 1995	96th 97th 98th 99th 100th 101st 102nd 103rd	Elected in 1978. Re-elected in 1980. Re-elected in 1982. Re-elected in 1984. Re-elected in 1986. Re-elected in 1988. Re-elected in 1990. Re-elected in 1992. Retired to run for U.S. Senator.
1983–1993 [data missing]
1993–2003 [data missing]
	John Baldacci (Bangor)	Democratic	January 3, 1995 – January 3, 2003	104th 105th 106th 107th	Elected in 1994. Re-elected in 1996. Re-elected in 1998. Re-elected in 2000. Retired to run for governor.
Mike Michaud (East Millinocket)	Democratic	January 3, 2003 – January 3, 2015	108th 109th 110th 111th 112th 113th	Elected in 2002. Re-elected in 2004. Re-elected in 2006. Re-elected in 2008. Re-elected in 2010. Re-elected in 2012. Retired to run for governor.	2003–2013 Androscoggin County; Aroostook County; Franklin County; Hancock County; Oxford County; Penobscot County; Piscataquis County; Somerset County; Waldo County; Washington County; and part of Kennebec County: Benton, Clinton, Fayette, Litchfield, Oakland, Waterville, Wayne, and Winslow
					2013–2023
Bruce Poliquin (Oakland)	Republican	January 3, 2015 – January 3, 2019	114th 115th	Elected in 2014. Re-elected in 2016. Lost re-election.
Jared Golden (Lewiston)	Democratic	January 3, 2019 – present	116th 117th 118th	Elected in 2018. Re-elected in 2020. Re-elected in 2022.
					since 2023

Election history[edit]

1978[edit]

1980[edit]

1982[edit]

1984[edit]

1986[edit]

1990[edit]

1992[edit]

1994[edit]

1996[edit]

1998[edit]

2000[edit]

2002[edit]

2006[edit]

2008[edit]

2012[edit]

2014[edit]

2016[edit]

2018[edit]

2020[edit]

2022[edit]

See also[edit]

• Maine's congressional districts
• List of United States congressional districts

References[edit]

External links[edit]

• Martis, Kenneth C. (1989). The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
• Martis, Kenneth C. (1982). The Historical Atlas of United States Congressional Districts. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
• Congressional Biographical Directory of the United States 1774–present
• Former Congressman Bruce Poliquin's web site