From a longtime TPM Reader in Maine …
Nate Silver pegs ME-2 as the tipping point district for Democrats to take the House. The GOP incumbent is in his second term and he and Trump won by 10 points in 2016.
BUT this is also a district that Obama won twice. It’s supported referenda on minimum wage increases and Medicaid expansion.
Canvassing has been awesome. In 2016 Bernie won the caucuses rather overwhelmingly and there was lingering bitterness plus Hillary was just not liked. This year people are incredibly enthusiastic. There are tons of volunteers for GOTV and earlier canvassing and people at the doors are psyched to vote, very excited. We have a great House candidate in Jared Golden and very strong candidates up and down the ticket from the governor’s race (with Janet Mills as the candidate) through the state and local races.
Still it’s hard to know what will happen. An odd possibility is that Rep. Poliquin will sue if Golden wins via ranked choice.
But field is rocking it and people are excited to vote. It feels like a really good presidential year, like 2008. Dems can win the House, the governorship and both houses of the Maine legislature — plus Angus King should be reelected handily to the Senate.
