State Senator Joe Baldacci, the candidate preferred by House Democratic leadership, lost the Democratic primary in Maine's 2nd district to Matt Dunlap, according to state election officials. This marks the second primary loss for a candidate backed by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) this month, following the defeat of California State Assembly member Jasmeet Bains by progressive Randy Villegas in California's 22nd district.
The DCCC's involvement in these races has led to tensions within the party, with some lawmakers threatening to withhold dues to the campaign arm. In the ranked-choice primary, Dunlap, who serves as Maine's state auditor, defeated Baldacci and former congressional staffer Jordan Wood. Baldacci was included in the DCCC's "Red to Blue" list, which aims to support Democratic candidates in competitive districts. However, the DCCC's financial investment in Baldacci's campaign was relatively small, amounting to a $7,500 joint ad buy, while Baldacci's campaign spent nearly $250,000 on advertising. An outside group, Real Change PAC, reportedly spent $500,000 on ads attacking Baldacci.
Dunlap will now compete against former Republican Governor Paul LePage in the race to succeed Representative Jared Golden, with the district being viewed as a potential pickup opportunity for the GOP in the upcoming November elections.