The dust has finally settled in Maine’s 2nd Congressional District, and if you’re looking for a simple "yes" or "no" on whether Austin Theriault won, the answer is a bit of a heartbreaker for his supporters. Austin Theriault did not win the 2024 general election for Congress. He came incredibly close. Like, "holding your breath while the last car crosses the finish line" close. But after weeks of counting, a ranked-choice runoff, and the start of a high-stakes hand recount, the former NASCAR driver officially conceded to the incumbent, Democrat Jared Golden.
It was one of those races that basically kept the entire state of Maine—and a good chunk of D.C. political junkies—awake for a month.
The Results: How the Numbers Shook Out
For a guy who spent his previous career going 200 mph, this election was a slow crawl. On election night, things were basically a dead heat.
Because Maine uses a ranked-choice voting system, and because neither candidate cleared the 50% hurdle initially (thanks to a handful of write-in votes and blank ballots), the state had to trigger a runoff. Here is how the final tally looked after the state did its math:
- Jared Golden: 197,151 votes (50.3%)
- Austin Theriault: 194,445 votes (49.7%)
That is a gap of just 2,706 votes. In a district that covers nearly 30,000 square miles of woods, coast, and farmland, that’s basically a rounding error. You’ve probably seen closer races in local town council meetings, but for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives? It’s wild.
Wait, Wasn't There a Recount?
Yeah, there was. Theriault didn't just walk away the day after the election. Honestly, why would he? When the margin is that thin, you want to make sure every single piece of paper was read correctly.
Theriault’s campaign requested a formal hand recount, which is a massive undertaking. We’re talking about state police escorting boxes of ballots to a secure location in Augusta so representatives from both sides can stare at them under fluorescent lights for days on end.
The recount actually started in early December 2024. But it didn't last long. After the first batch of ballots (mostly from larger towns) was hand-counted, the needle barely moved. Theriault realized there wasn't a "mathematical path" to bridge that 2,700-vote gap. He pulled the plug on the recount on December 4, 2024, and called Golden to congratulate him.
He basically said it was time to put "people over politics" and stop the expensive, time-consuming process once it was clear the result wouldn't change.
Why This Race Was Such a Big Deal
You might wonder why everyone was obsessing over this one seat. It's because the 2nd District is a bit of a political unicorn. It’s a blue-collar, rural area that loves Donald Trump—he won the district by about 9 points in 2024.
Usually, that means a Republican should sail to victory. But Jared Golden is a different kind of Democrat—a Marine veteran who often votes against his own party. Theriault, backed by Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson, tried to tie Golden to the national Democratic platform, but a tiny sliver of "split-ticket" voters decided they liked both Trump and Golden.
Theriault’s background as a 2017 ARCA Racing Series champion gave him some serious name recognition, especially in the "County" (Aroostook County), where he grew up. He won his home turf by huge margins, but it wasn't enough to offset Golden's strength in cities like Bangor and Lewiston.
Did Austin Theriault Win Anything in 2024?
If we’re being technical, yes. Austin Theriault won the Republican Primary in June 2024. He faced off against Mike Soboleski and absolutely crushed it, securing the nomination to take on Golden in the first place.
He also won a lot of respect from the national GOP. For a first-term state representative to come within less than 1% of unseating a long-term incumbent is no small feat.
What’s Next for Theriault?
So, did Austin Theriault win his way into the history books? Maybe not with a victory this time, but he’s certainly not gone.
Since he is no longer in the State House (his term ended in late 2024), he's technically a private citizen again for the moment. However, his name is already being floated for future runs. When you lose by such a tiny margin in a district that fits your party's demographics, the donors usually come knocking again pretty quickly.
👉 See also: Gerrymandering Score by State: Why Your Vote Might Not Count the Way You Think
Actionable Takeaways for Following Maine Elections
If you're tracking these kinds of close races, keep these "Maine-specific" quirks in mind for next time:
- Ranked-Choice is King: If a candidate doesn't get 50% + 1 on the first count, the "second-choice" votes from independent or write-in ballots get redistributed. This is almost always how Golden wins.
- The "Trump-Golden" Voter: There is a specific group of Mainers who vote for the GOP at the top of the ticket and Golden for Congress. Until a Republican can win those people back, the district stays split.
- Recount Limits: Recounts in Maine rarely flip more than a handful of votes. If the gap is over 500, it’s almost impossible to change the outcome.
Austin Theriault put up one of the toughest fights in the country, but for now, the seat stays in Democratic hands.