2014 United States House of Representatives elections in Maine

The 2014 United States House of Representatives elections in Maine were held on Tuesday, November 4, 2014, to elect the two U.S. representatives from the state of Maine, one from each of the state's two congressional districts. The elections coincided with the elections of other federal and state offices, including governor of Maine and United States Senate. The primary elections were held on June 10, 2014.

This election marked the first time since 1994 that Maine elected a Republican into the House of Representatives.

Overview Results of the 2014 United States House of Representatives elections in Maine by district:

DistrictDemocraticRepublicanOthersTotalResult Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes %District 1 186,674 60.43% 94,751 30.68% 27,473 8.89% 308,898 100.0% Democratic holdDistrict 2 118,568 41.83% 133,320 47.03% 31,585 11.14% 283,473 100.0% Republican gainTotal 305,242 51.53% 228,071 38.50% 59,058 9.97% 592,371 100.0%

District 1

The 1st district includes covers the southern coastal area of the state, including all of Cumberland, Knox, Lincoln, Sagadahoc and York counties and most of Kennebec County. Located within the district are the cities of Portland, Augusta, Brunswick and Saco. The incumbent Democrat Chellie Pingree, who had represented the district since 2009, ran for re-election. She was re-elected with 65% of the vote in 2012, and the district had a PVI of D+9.

Democratic primary Candidates Nominee Chellie Pingree, incumbent U.S. representative

Results

Republican primary Candidates Nominee Isaac Misiuk, former University of Southern Maine College Republicans president

Declined Meredith Strang Burgess, former state representative

Results

Independents Candidates Declared Richard Murphy, Maine National Guardsman

General election Debates + 2014 Maine's 1st congressional district debates Date Host Moderator Link Democratic Republican IndependentKey: Participant  Absent  Not invited  Invited Withdrawn Chellie Pingree Isaac Misiuk Richard Murphy1 Oct. 6, 2014 Bangor Daily NewsWGME-TVWPFO Gregg LagerquistYouTube (Part 1)YouTube (Part 2)YouTube (Part 3) 1 Oct. 9, 2014 Maine Public Broadcasting Network Jennifer RooksPBS

Endorsements

Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror ChelliePingree (D) IssacMisiuk (R) RichardMurphy (I) Other UndecidedMaine People's Resource CenterMaine People's Resource Center October 31–November 2, 2014 419 ± 4.79% 56% 30% 7% — 7%Pan Atlantic/SMS GroupPan Atlantic/SMS Group October 15–21, 2014 206 ± 6.8% 62% 18% 6% — 14%University of New HampshireUniversity of New Hampshire October 15–21, 2014 297 ± 5.5% 57% 19% 10% — 13%Critical InsightsCritical Insights September 24–30, 2014 311 ± 4% 53% 19% 10% — 17%Pan Atlantic SMSPan Atlantic SMS September 23–29, 2014 400 ± 4.9% 51% 9% 10% — 30%University of New HampshireUniversity of New Hampshire September 18–25, 2014 220 ± 6.2% 66% 13% 0% 4% 17%University of New HampshireUniversity of New Hampshire June 12–18, 2014 305 ± 6.5% 56% 22% — 2% 20%

Predictions SourceRankingAs of The Cook Political ReportNovember 3, 2014 Rothenberg October 24, 2014 Sabato's Crystal Ball October 30, 2014RCP November 2, 2014Daily Kos Elections November 4, 2014

Results

District 2

The 2nd district covers , comprising nearly 80% of the state's total land area. It is the largest district east of the Mississippi River and the 24th-largest overall. It is the second-most rural district in the United States, with 72.11% of its population in rural areas, behind only Kentucky's 5th congressional district. It includes most of the land area north of the Portland and Augusta metropolitan areas, including the cities of Bangor, Lewiston, Auburn and Presque Isle. The incumbent Democrat Mike Michaud, who had represented the district since 2003, did not seek re-election, and was selected as the Democratic nominee for governor of Maine in the 2014 election. He was re-elected with 58% of the vote in 2012, and the district had a PVI of D+2.

Democratic primary Candidates Nominee Emily Cain, state senator

Eliminated in primary Troy Jackson, majority leader of the Maine Senate

Withdrew Alden Smith, Navy reservist

Declined Joe Baldacci, Bangor city councilor John Baldacci, former governor and former U.S. representative Matthew Dunlap, Secretary of State of Maine James Howaniec, attorney, former mayor of Lewiston and candidate for this seat in 1994 Jeff McCabe, assistant majority leader of the Maine House of Representatives Mike Michaud, incumbent U.S. representative (running for governor)

Endorsements

Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror EmilyCain Troy DaleJackson UndecidedPublic Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling June 2–3, 2014 810 ±3.4% 60% 25% 15%

Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror JoeBaldacci EmilyCain MatthewDunlap Troy DaleJackson JeffMcCabe JanetMills AldenSmith UndecidedPublic Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling August 23–25, 2013 561 ± 4.1% 31% 22% — 15% — — 2% 30%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling June 26–27, 2013 633 ± 3.9% 19% 18% 8% 9% 3% 15% — 28%

Results

Republican primary Candidates Nominee Bruce Poliquin, former state treasurer of Maine and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2012

Eliminated in primary Kevin Raye, former president of the Maine Senate and nominee for the seat in 2002 and 2012

Withdrew Blaine Richardson, United States Navy veteran, and candidate for this seat in 2012 (unenrolled as a Republican, running as an independent) Richard Rosen, director of the Maine Office of Policy and Management and former state senator Alexander Willette, assistant minority leader of the Maine House of Representatives

Declined Kenneth Fredette, minority leader of the Maine House of Representatives Jonathan LaBonte, mayor of Auburn Paul LePage, governor of Maine (running for re-election) Garrett Mason, state senator Debra Plowman, former state senator Joshua Tardy, former minority leader of the Maine House of Representatives Michael Thibodeau, minority leader of the Maine Senate

Endorsements

Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror BrucePoliquin KevinRaye BlaineRichardson RichardRosen UndecidedPublic Opinion Strategies (R-Raye)Public Opinion Strategies (R-Raye) November 4–5, 2013 310 ± 5.57% 18% 42% 3% 5% 32%

Results

Independents Candidates Declared Blaine Richardson, United States Navy veteran, and Republican candidate for the seat in 2012 (unenrolled as a Republican, running as an independent)

General election Campaign Bruce Poliquin resisted invitations to debates where Blaine Richardson would be present, including one sponsored by MPBN. Political observers stated this might have been due to Richardson's potential to split the conservative vote. Emily Cain expressed support for Richardson being present at debates and said she would only attend debates where both of the other candidates were present. A debate to be held on WMTW-TV was cancelled after Cain pulled out to protest Richardson not being invited. WMTW said they and their parent company, Hearst Television, had strict criteria for invitations to debates that Richardson did not meet. These criteria included holding large campaign events, fundraising, and performance in polling, all of which WMTW said were not met.

On August 29, Richardson revealed, and Poliquin's campaign confirmed, that Richardson had rejected a request from Poliquin to quit the race. A Poliquin spokesman stated the phone call was made because Richardson had "no chance" to win and seemed "more interested in working with Emily Cain to bash Bruce rather than have a discussion about the future". Richardson said he would stay in the race and he was "so fed up with the parties, both of them". He also said that Poliquin asking him to quit had been one of the biggest boosts for his campaign.

Debates Complete video of debate, October 16, 2014

Endorsements

Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror EmilyCain (D) BrucePoliquin (R) BlaineRichardson (I) Other UndecidedMaine People's Resource Center October 31–November 2, 2014 397 ± 4.92% 42% 43% 10% — 5%Pan Atlantic/SMS Group October 15–21, 2014 186 ± 7% 39% 38% 8% — 16%University of New Hampshire October 15–21, 2014 291 ± 5.5% 40% 41% 8% — 9%Normington Petts (D-Cain)Normington Petts (D-Cain) October 15–16, 2014 400 ± 4.9% 42% 34% 8% — 16%Critical Insights September 24–30, 2014 295 ± 4% 36% 41% 6% — 16%Pan Atlantic SMS September 23–29, 2014 400 ± 4.9% 36% 33% 6% — 25%University of New Hampshire September 18–25, 2014 220 ± 6.2% 30% 40% 3% — 27%Public Opinion Strategies (R-Poliquin)Public Opinion Strategies (R-Poliquin) August 17–19, 2014 400 ± 4.9% 37% 33% 6% — 24%University of New Hampshire June 12–18, 2014 222 ± 6.5% 44% 39% — 0% 17%Public Opinion Strategies (R-Raye) November 4–5, 2013 400 ± 4.9% 37% 34% — — 29%

Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror EmilyCain (D) KevinRaye (R) UndecidedPublic Opinion Strategies^Public Opinion Strategies^ November 4–5, 2013 400 ± 4.9% 31% 45% 24%

Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror Troy DaleJackson (D) BrucePoliquin (R) UndecidedPublic Opinion Strategies^ November 4–5, 2013 400 ± 4.9% 38% 33% 29%

Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror Troy DaleJackson (D) KevinRaye (R) UndecidedPublic Opinion Strategies^ November 4–5, 2013 400 ± 4.9% 30% 45% 25%

Predictions SourceRankingAs of The Cook Political ReportNovember 3, 2014 Rothenberg October 24, 2014 Sabato's Crystal Ball October 30, 2014RCP November 2, 2014Daily Kos Elections November 4, 2014

Results

See also 2014 United States House of Representatives elections 2014 United States elections

References

External links U.S. House elections in Maine, 2014 at Ballotpedia Campaign contributions at OpenSecrets Emily Cain for Congress Troy Jackson for Congress Isaac Misiuk for Congress Richard Murphy for Congress Chellie Pingree for Congress (not updated since 2012)

Kevin Raye for Congress Blaine Richardson for Congress Alden Smith for Congress