Election Day 2020 was over a week ago.
Maine Democrats Retain Control of the Maine House of Representatives and the Maine Senate
Though all election results are unofficial until certified by Maine Secretary of State, Matt Dunlap, Democrats are positioned to retain control of the Maine Legislature, based on last Tuesday’s unofficial election returns.
Democrats picked up one Senate seat, retaining control of the Senate with 22 out of the 35 seats, their largest majority in decades. This includes defeating Republican Senate Minority Leader Dana Dow.
Republicans had several wins in the Maine House of Representatives, setting up a far narrower 80-67 majority with four independents.
The Legislature faces a high-stakes session in 2021. It will be faced with closing much of a projected $1.4 billion revenue shortfall over three years due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Congressman Jared Golden and Congresswoman Chellie Pingree Will Both Return to D.C. for Another Term In Congress
Democratic U.S. Rep. Jared Golden has been reelected to represent Maine’s 2nd District. Golden will serve another two years as Congressman for Maine’s second district. Golden led Republican challenger Dale Crafts in the polls by a margin of 53% to 47%. Golden maintained that steady lead throughout most of election night.
In Maine’s First Congressional District, Rep. Chellie Pingree easily turned away Republican challenger Dr. Jay Allen, winning a seventh term in the U. S. House.
Senator Susan Collins Wins Re-election in Maine
Maine’s Susan Collins, whose Republican Senate seat was one of the most vulnerable in the country this election, has won re-election.
As expected, Gideon won many of the left-leaning towns in the Greater Portland area, coastal York County and in mid-coast Maine by comfortable margins. But Collins won the vast majority of more conservative towns away from the coast and defeated Gideon by sizable margins in many rural areas.
Maine Sen. Susan Collins and Senate candidate Sara Gideon faced off in the most expensive political race in Maine’s history. Gideon raised nearly $70 million, more than doubling the $27 million that Collins raised.
Biden Wins Presidential Election
The national presidential race remained undecided until late last week and was much closer than predicted. Joe Biden defeated President Donald Trump to become the 46th president of the United States. President-elect Joe Biden, during remarks from Delaware on Monday, urged Americans to wear masks as part of a collective effort to fight the coronavirus as he ramped up his transition to the presidency. Earlier, Biden announced members of a 13-person advisory board to help shape his response to the pandemic. President Trump, has yet to concede the election.