PORTLAND, Maine — An entrenched senator distrusted by both parties. A governor born just 18 months after 79-year-old Donald Trump. An oyster farmer who for years walked around with a Nazi symbol tattoo. Anti-gay remarks in a state generally regarded as welcoming to LGBTQ+ people. Pockets of deep Trump loyalty in a state that he lost three times. Traditional resistance to outsiders and the likelihood of a flood of out-of-state spending.
Maine is about to hold one of the most hard-fought, colorful, dramatic, gripping, emotional, bitter, idiosyncratic, thesaurus-busting Senate races of the age. Also, maybe, the most consequential.
kAm(6=4@>6 E@ $FD2? r@==:?D G6CDFD y2?6E |:==D] ~C >2J36 $FD2? r@==:?D G6CDFD vC292> !=2E?6C] $FC6=J $FD2? r@==:?D G6CDFD 2 42D4256 @7 42>A2:8? DA6?5:?8] |2J36 2 52D9 @7 $FD2? r@==:?D G6CDFD s@?2=5 %CF>A] !C6EEJ >F49 $FD2? r@==:?D 282:?DE E96 H@C=5]k^Am
kAmr@==:?D[ H9@ EFC?65 fb E9:D H66<[ :D E96 @?=J :?4F>36?E #6AF3=:42? D6?2E@C CF??:?8 7@C C66=64E:@? :? 2 DE2E6 E92E %CF>A =@DE :? a_ac] %96 =@?86DE\D6CG:?8 H@>2? :? E96 $6?2E6[ D96 :D E96 =2H>2<6C 5:D52:?65 3J 2=>@DE 6G6CJ@?6] $96 6?E6C65 E96 492>36C :? `hhf[ 2 J62C 367@C6 q:== r=:?E@? H2D :>A624965 — E96 A@=:E:42= 6BF:G2=6?E @7 E96 !2=6@K@:4 tC2]k^Am
kAm$:?46 E96?[ D96 92D 5:D2AA@:?E65 4@?D6CG2E:G6D W3J C6D:DE:?8 >F=E:A=6 #6AF3=:42? :?:E:2E:G6D 2?5 6?EC62E:6D 3J v~! AC6D:56?EDX 2?5 :?7FC:2E65 =:36C2=D W3J AC@G:5:?8 A2CE @7 E96 4@?7:C>2E:@? G:4E@C:6D E@ ;F5:4:2= 2?5 r23:?6E ?@>:?2E:@?D 7C@> qC6EE z2G2?2F89 E@ #@36CE u] z6??65J yC]X]k^Am
kAm$96 :D 492==6?8:?8 E96 8C2J D62= — C6G:=65 3J >2C:?6CD 2D 2 E9C62E E@ E96 7:D9 92CG6DE 2?5 E@ E96:C =:G6=:9@@5[ 36=@G65 3J ?2EFC2=:DED 2?5 D6?E:>6?E2=:DED — 2D E96 >@DE 4@?EC@G6CD:2= >2>>2= :? |2:?6]k^Am
kAm}@H 6?E6C[ 7C@> DE286 =67E[ 3@E9 |:==D 2?5 !=2E?6C]k^Am
kAm|:==D :D E96 EH@\E6C> 8@G6C?@C H9@ DA2C<65 AC2:D6 7@C DE2?5:?8 FA E@ %CF>A @? 86?56C :DDF6D] !=2E?6C :D E96 @JDE6C 72C>6C H9@ H2?ED 2 >@C6 G:8@C@FD 2EE24< @? E96 AC6D:56?E 2?5 H9@[ F?3FC56?65 3J 2?J A@=:E:42= 6IA6C:6?46[ 92D D@>6 6IA=2:?:?8 E@ 5@ H96? :E 4@>6D E@ 86?56C :DDF6D] |:==D :D DFAA@CE65 3J E96 s6>@4C2E:4 6DE23=:D9>6?E[ !=2E?6C 3J E96 D@CE @7 :?DFC86?E 7@C46D E92E >256 +@9C2? |2>52?: >2J@C\6=64E :? }6H *@C<]k^Am
kAm~7 4@FCD6[ 3@E9 $6?2E6 s6>@4C2E:4 =6256C r9F4< $49F>6C @7 }6H *@C< 2?5 $6?] q6C?:6 $2?56CD @7 '6C>@?E 2C6 :?G@=G65] ~7 4@FCD6[ E96J 324< 5:776C6?E s6>@4C2ED 7@C E96 ?@>:?2E:@? 282:?DE r@==:?D[ H9@ 92D 2 8:7E 7@C DFCG:G2= — >2<:?8 96C 7C@> @?6 A@:?E @7 G:6H E96 6BF:G2=6?E @7 2 D92C< WE96J 42? DFCG:G6 7@C c__ J62CDX 2?5[ 7C@> 2?@E96C G:6HA@:?E[ 2 4@4<C@249 WE96J DFCG:G65 E96 2DE6C@:5 2EE24< E92E H:A65 @FE E96 5:?@D2FCDX] }6:E96C DA64:6D :D 36=@G65]k^Am
kAmq@E9 H@>6? 2C6 H6==\<?@H? :? E9:D DE2E6] }6:E96C @776CD >F49 A@E6?E:2= 7@C DFCAC:D6] %96 D6?2E@C C2:D6D 9@A6D 2?5 762CD D96 H:== 3F4< %CF>A @?=J E@ 324< 9:D AC:@C:E:6D 2E 4CF4:2= ;F?4EFC6D] %96 8@G6C?@C :D 2 DE2?52C5\:DDF6 6DE23=:D9>6?E A@=:E:4:2? H:E9 E96 DE2?52C5\:DDF6 C6AFE2E:@? 7@C 4@>A6E6?46 E92E |2:?6 =6256CD 7C@> t5>F?5 |FD<:6 W8@G6C?@C[ D6?2E@C[ D64C6E2CJ @7 DE2E6X 2?5 v6@C86 |:E496== W;F586[ $6?2E6 >2;@C:EJ =6256CX E@ q:== r@96? Ww@FD6 >6>36C[ D6?2E@C[ D64C6E2CJ @7 5676?D6X 2?5 p?8FD z:?8 Wx?56A6?56?E 8@G6C?@C[ 4@==686 AC@76DD@C[ D6?2E@CX 92G6 A@DD6DD65]k^Am
kAm!=2E?6C :D E96 42>A2:8?VD @FED:56C — 96VD @FED:56 E96 A@=:E:42= H@C=5 H:E9 A@D:E:@?D @FED:56 E96 FDF2= 72C6]k^Am
kAmw6VD J@F?86C Wc`X[ 76:DE:6C W>@C6 AC@?6 E@ G:6HD ;FDE D9@CE @7 6IEC6>6X[ >@C6 F?4@?G6?E:@?2= W4@?5F4E:?8 2? :?DFC86?4J 2D >F49 2D 2 42?5:524JX]k^Am
kAmr@??64E:4FE >2J 4@?D:56C :ED6=7 E96 {2?5 @7 $E625J w23:ED[ 3FE E92E 56D4C:AE:@? 2=D@ 2AA=:6D E@ E96 !:?6 %C66 $E2E6[ E96 A:?6 36:?8 23=6 E@ C6D:DE 4=:>2E6[ 5C@F89E 2?5 :?D64E :?76DE2E:@? WE9@F89 25>:EE65=J :E 42? 36 C682C565 2D 2 3:E E@A\962GJX]k^Am
kAm%96 3:886DE @FED:56CD :? |2:?6 :? E96 A2DE E9C66\BF2CE6CD @7 2 46?EFCJ 92G6?VE 366? :ED EH@ x?56A6?56?E 8@G6C?@CD Wy:> {2?8=6J 2?5 z:?8X 3FE 4@?G6?E:@?2= 7:8FC6D =:<6 |FD<:6 WH9@ 925 E96 E6>6C:EJ E@ 36 @?=J E96 D64@?5 s6>@4C2E E@ H:? E96 8@G6C?@CVD @77:46 :? >@C6 E92? E9C66 564256DX 2?5 !2F= {6!286 W2 3FD:?6DD>2?\8@G6C?@C H9@ 3@2DE65 @7 36:?8 s@?2=5 %CF>A 367@C6 s@?2=5 %CF>AX] pD 7@C C62= C636=D[ E96C6 H2D $6?] |2C82C6E r92D6 $>:E9[ 2 #6AF3=:42? H9@ DA6?E bb J62CD :? E96 w@FD6 W`hc_\VchX 2?5 $6?2E6 W`hch\VfbX 2?5 E@@< @? C65\32:E:?8 y@D6A9 |4r2CE9J 2?5[ H6==[ ?@ @?6 6=D6]k^Am
kAm$@[ 2=@?8 H:E9 E96 }2K: E2EE@@ E92E 96 D2:5 H2D 2 J@FE97F= :?5:D4C6E:@? 2?5 2 3@5J @C?2>6?E E92E 96 5:5?VE 6G6? <?@H H2D 2DD@4:2E65 H:E9 p5@=7 w:E=6C[ !=2E?6C :D 2? 6?E:C6=J 5:776C6?E DEC2:? @7 A@=:E:42= 2DA:C2?E] w6VD E2<6? 9:D Q&?\$9F4< E96 $JDE6> %@FCQ E@ 3:8 4:E:6D DF49 2D !@CE=2?5 2?5 qCF?DH:4<[ 3FE 2=D@ E@ #F>7@C5 WA@AF=2E:@? d[gdgX[ |252H2D<2 Wb[gefX 2?5 r2=2:D Wb[_fhX] w:D 42?G2DD:?8 >:?:@?D 92G6 4@?5F4E65 d[ga_ 4@?G6CD2E:@?D 24C@DD E96 DE2E6]k^Am
kAmp? 9@FC @3D6CG:?8 2 G@=F?E66C\C64CF:E>6?E 5C:G6 :==F>:?2E6D E96 492C24E6C @7 E96 !=2E?6C 42>A2:8?]k^Am
kAm{625:?8 E9:D @?=:?6 677@CE :D p3=6 q=@@58@@5[ 2 !=2E?6C 7:6=5 4@@C5:?2E@C H9@ 62C?65 9:D A@=:E:4D 568C66 7C@> q2C5 r@==686 :? EH@ J62CD 2?5 H9@ DA62<D H:E9 E96 2FE9@C:EJ @7 2 H:K6?65 G6E6C2?]k^Am
kAmw6 @A6?D 3J E6==:?8 A@E6?E:2= G@=F?E66CD E92E QE96C6 2C6 2 =@E @7 :?E6C6DED H9@ 5@ ?@E H2?E vC292> 2?JH96C6 ?62C E96 $6?2E6[Q 2?5 E96? 8@6D @? E@ D2J E92E E92E :D E96 H9@=6 A@:?E] Q$FD2? r@==:?D :D E96 HC@?8 <:?5 @7 D6?2E@C 7@C |2:?6[Q 96 2C8F6D] Q$96 E2=<D E96 >@56C2E6 E2=< 3FE H2=<D =:<6 2 |pvp #6AF3=:42?] ~FC 42>A2:8? :D H@C<:?8 2?5 7:89E:?8 7@C E96 2G6C286 |2:?6C H9:=6 D96VD E2<:?8 >:==:@?D 7C@> F?36=:6G23=J H62=E9J 5@?@CD]Qk^Am
kAm!=2E?6C 92D 2EEC24E65 2 72:C 3:E @7 ?2E:@?2= 2EE6?E:@? 2D E96 s@H? t2DE G6CD:@? @7 |2>52?: 2E 2 E:>6 H96? A@=:E:42= @FED:56CD @7 E96 p=6I2?5C:2 ~42D:@\r@CE6K DEC:A6 2C6 3@E9 E96 9@A6 2?5 762C @7 s6>@4C2ED] {:DE6? E@ @?6 @7 E9@D6 @? E96 C64CF:E>6?E D6DD:@?ik^Am
kAmQxE D66>D =:<6 C:89E ?@H E96C6VD 2 3:8 FADH6== @7 AC@8C6DD:G6 42?5:52E6D 2== 24C@DD E96 4@F?ECJ] xEVD 2 362FE:7F= E9:?8 E@ D66] %9:D 4@F=5 36 2? :>A24E7F= >@>6?E :? @FC 4@F?ECJ[ 2?5 x H2?E E@ 36 A2CE @7 :E]Q w6 D:8?65 FA E@ H@C< @? 2 A9@?6 32?<]k^Am
kAmQ%96C6VD 2 9F86 92?<6C:?8 E@ 36 C:5 @7 $FD2? r@==:?D[Q D2:5 v] r2=G:? |24<6?K:6[ 2? 6>6C:EFD A@=:E:42= D4:6?E:DE 2E r@=3J r@==686 :? (2E6CG:==6[ |2:?6] Qs6>@4C2ED >2J =:<6 y2?6E |:==D ;FDE 7:?6[ 3FE 2E 96C 286 :E 5@6D?VE >2<6 D6?D6] %96C6VD 2 DAC2H=:?8 5:D4@>7@CE H:E9 @=5 A@=:E:42= 7:8FC6D — H6 925 y@6 q:56?[ 2?5 %CF>A 92D 366? 2C@F?5 7@C 2 564256 — 2?5 H6 2C6 766=:?8 E92E 96C6 :? |2:?6] %9:D 76==@H :D 2 7C6D9 3C66K6]Qk^Am
kAm!C@76DD@C |24<6?K:6 :D E96 2FE9@C @7 2? :>A@CE2?E 3@@< E:E=65 Q%96 {:36C2= w@FC]Q r2? 2 =:36C2= 9@FC 36 52H?:?8 :? E96 A=246 H96C6 52H? 4@>6D 7:CDE :? E96 &?:E65 $E2E6Dnk^Am
kAms2G:5 |] $9C:3>2? :D E96 7@C>6C 6I64FE:G6 65:E@C @7 E96 !:EED3FC89 !@DE\v2K6EE6] w6 42? 36 C624965 2E k2 9C67lQ>2:=E@i5D9C:3>2?oA@DE\82K6EE6]4@>Qm5D9C:3>2?oA@DE\82K6EE6]4@>k^2m[ @C 7@==@H 9:> @? %H:EE6C 2E $9C:3>2?!v] %96 !F=:EK6C !C:K6\H:??:?8 ;@FC?2=:DE 92D 2 G242E:@? 9@>6 :? z62CD2C86]k^Am
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.