BANGOR, Maine – House Speaker Mike Johnson brought his campaign push to Maine’s scenic 2nd Congressional District on Wednesday, arguing that Republicans can overcome unfavorable historical trends and hold their narrow majority. His visit was aimed at lifting GOP nominee Paul LePage, viewed as one of the party’s strongest opportunities to capture a seat currently held by Democrats.
Speaking to a modest gathering at Sea Dog Brewing Co., Johnson rejected polling that suggests Republicans are headed for defeat on Nov. 3. He said he remains confident the governing party can preserve its slim House advantage, pointing to candidates such as LePage, the former governor who served two terms.
“I’m telling you, we’re going to surprise them,” Johnson said as dozens of attendees ate burgers, fish and chips and pot pies at the Bangor restaurant.
Johnson has been traveling across the country as part of an October campaign blitz spanning more than 20 states and 40 congressional districts. The final push comes before elections that will decide which party controls Congress for the rest of President Donald Trump’s term.
Republicans have increasingly shifted into defensive mode, working to protect candidates in districts once considered reliable GOP territory as voters contend with elevated gas prices, Trump’s tariff policies and the war with Iran. Democrats, meanwhile, are targeting districts that backed Trump while preparing an opening 100-day agenda should they regain control.
Johnson said the scenes he has witnessed on the trail tell a more encouraging story for Republicans. He pointed to strong turnouts at campaign events, including a stop earlier this week in southern Texas, an important battleground.
“Now we have to defy history to do this,” Johnson said, acknowledging that the president’s party rarely gains ground in midterm elections.
But, echoing LePage’s message to supporters, he emphasized that the outcome could come down to turnout: “Voter turnout is critical.”
In a narrowly divided House, every district carries weight
Maine’s high-profile Senate contest between Republican incumbent Susan Collins and Democrat Troy Jackson has drawn much of the state’s political attention. But the open House race for the seat held by retiring Democratic Rep. Jared Golden is also emerging as a major battleground.
LePage is facing Democratic state auditor Matt Dunlap in the sprawling district covering much of rural northern Maine. The candidates are scheduled to debate later this week.
LePage agreed that mobilizing supporters will be decisive in determining the winner.
Donald Trump has carried the district, but Golden managed to hold it as a member of the conservative Blue Dog Coalition, a group of more centrist House Democrats. Golden has occasionally broken with Democratic leaders and voted alongside Republicans.
That record makes the district one of the few areas won by Trump that is still represented by a Democrat. Republicans see it as a prime pickup opportunity as they try to offset losses in other districts and retain their House majority.
This week, the Congressional Leadership Fund, the principal House Republican super PAC aligned with Johnson, pulled funding from four House races, including contests in Iowa and New Jersey. It redirected money into other races, stretching from Texas to Pennsylvania.
Democrats remain confident they can take control of the chamber. Their early plans center on an ambitious affordability agenda and investigations into alleged corruption involving Trump and his administration.
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