House Democratic leadership suffered another primary setback Friday when state auditor Matt Dunlap defeated their favored candidate in Maine's 2nd congressional district. The progressive outsider beat state Sen. Joe Baldacci and former congressional staffer Jordan Wood in a ranked-choice primary, dealing the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee its second major endorsement loss in weeks.
Baldacci had been added to the DCCC's "Red to Blue" program, a list designed to identify Democratic candidates with the best shot at flipping or defending competitive seats. But his loss mirrors California's 22nd district, where DCCC-backed Assembly member Jasmeet Bains failed to advance to the general election, finishing behind progressive Randy Villegas.
The string of defeats has created friction inside the Democratic caucus. Some House members have threatened to stop paying their regular dues to the party's campaign arm in protest of its primary interventions, signaling deeper frustration with how leadership is choosing candidates.
The DCCC's actual spending in Maine's primary was modest compared to efforts elsewhere. The committee and Baldacci ran a joint ad buy worth $7,500, while Baldacci's campaign spent nearly $250,000 on advertising. But outside group Real Change PAC, which has suspected Republican ties, spent $500,000 attacking Baldacci, according to ad tracking firm AdImpact.
Dunlap now advances to face former Gov. Paul LePage, a Republican, in what's shaping up as one of Republicans' prime pickup opportunities this fall. The district backed President Trump by nine percentage points in 2024 and is widely viewed as vulnerable for Democrats.
Rep. Jared Golden, the current Democratic incumbent, is not seeking reelection, leaving the seat open.
Author James Rodriguez: "Two swings and misses in one month suggests the DCCC's primary math isn't working, and the rebellion brewing over its meddling isn't going away anytime soon."
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