Millinocket and Presque Isle, Maine | Oct. 25, 2026, 5:00 a.m. ET | 7 min read

As political drama goes in Maine, this has been a banner year.

Maine’s Senate race has been in the spotlight’s glare for months, with recent polls showing five-term GOP Sen. Susan Collins running a few points behind Democratic challenger Troy Jackson. Mr. Jackson, a former state senator, was hastily drafted in July after Graham Platner, the party’s original, controversy-dogged nominee, dropped out.

So perhaps it’s no surprise that a competitive open race for one of Maine’s two U.S. House seats has largely flown under the radar.

Jared Golden, a former Marine and moderate Democrat who has represented Maine’s 2nd Congressional District since 2019, opted not to run for reelection after facing criticism from his party’s base for siding with Republicans on some high-profile votes. Announcing his decision last year, Mr.…