Maine Public | By Kevin Miller

Published June 11, 2024 at 10:18 PM EDT

Former NASCAR driver Austin Theriault has won the Republican nomination to challenge Democratic U.S. Rep. Jared Golden this fall in Maine’s closely watched 2nd Congressional District.

The Associated Press called the race for Theriault about an hour after the polls closed in Maine. Early returns showed the 30-year-old Fort Kent native with a large lead over his primary opponent, Mike Soboleski of Phillips.

Both men are first-term legislators in the Maine House who campaigned on conservative issues such as the economy and inflation, border security and government overspending.

But Theriault raised roughly 10 times as much money as Soboleski. He also picked up endorsements from former President Donald Trump, U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson and leaders of the National Republican Congressional Committee as well as local officials in Maine. That huge financial advantage allowed him to run a more aggressive ground campaign in the sprawling 2nd District and to advertise heavily on TV and radio.

Theriault’s win sets up a fall contest between a young, former NASCAR driver and Golden, a 41-year-old Marine Corps veteran who is seeking a fourth term in Congress.

Speaking to several dozen supporters at Dysart’s Restaurant in Bangor, Theriault said many 2nd District voters feel disenfranchised and forgotten in today’s political climate.

“The working people here in Maine feel left behind and it has been going on for too long,” Theriault said. “We need more voices in DC, we need more voices around the state that are willing to stand up and speak up for what’s right, speak up for the people who sacrifice and work hard every single day for their families and are not getting help right now. Now is our time to fight back against what is going on.”

Golden is a moderate Democrat who has split with his party leadership and President Joe Biden more than any other member of the Democratic caucus in the House. But like many rural areas, the 2nd District has become increasingly conservative, as evidenced by Trump’s victories there in both 2016 and 2020.

Theriault raced for more than a decade at local tracks and on regional circuits before getting his first start in a top-level NASCAR race in 2019. But he was forced to curtail the season after being injured in a chain reaction crash after several races.

Two years later, he opted to step out of the driver’s seat and focus on the business side of racing, especially on driver development. He has emphasized that business experience as well as his endorsement by Trump throughout his campaign.

He has portrayed Golden as being too cozy with Biden’s priorities and contends that a Republican representative will better reflect the priorities of 2nd District voters. He also pledged, if elected, to support the Trump agenda on border security, drug trafficking and supporting manufacturing.

“The question I have to ask us is do we want Jared Golden representing our district for another two years, electing a very liberal progressive Speaker of the House, knowing that the agenda that those people are going to push across are detrimental to the 2nd District?” Theriault said in his Bangor victory speech. “We need a common-sense, forward-looking, business-minded conservative representing the 2nd District here.”

At age 30, Theriault is six years younger than Golden was when he won his first election to Congress. Since his first election in 2018, Golden has established himself as a moderate in a Democratic Party increasingly controlled by progressives.

He last won reelection in 2022 with 53% of the vote following a ranked-choice runoff with former Republican U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin.

AUGUSTA, Maine (BDN) — Former NASCAR driver Austin Theriault easily defeated fellow state lawmaker Mike Soboleski in Tuesday’s Republican primary for Maine’s 2nd Congressional District, setting up a showdown with U.S. Rep. Jared Golden in November.

Theriault, a 30-year-old first-term state representative from Fort Kent who runs his own driver development business, beat Soboleski, a 67-year-old Marine veteran from Phillips whose wide-ranging career has included time as an actor, stuntman and small-business owner. 

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2024 Maine primary election results

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The Bangor Daily News and Decision Desk HQ, its election results partner, called the race at 8:37 p.m, when Theriault had 72.9 percent of votes to 27.1 percent for Soboleski.

“The reality is that Jared Golden and [President] Joe Biden have failed us, and we see the results every day,” Theriault said in a statement. “The 2nd District is falling farther and farther behind, and that’s not acceptable to me.”

Theriault had a leg up on Soboleski upon entering the race last year with financial support and backing from national Republicans. He outraised Soboleski 10 to 1 in part due to a March endorsement from former President Donald Trump, who twice won the 2nd District and is seeking to beat Biden despite a felony conviction and other pending cases.

Theriault comfortably won Tuesday’s race while his allies leveled late attacks on his opponent. On Tuesday, a super PAC supporting him compared Soboleski to Biden and misleadingly claimed that he supports abortion rights, even though the underdog candidate expressed support for restrictive “heartbeat bills” that ban abortion after six weeks.

While Soboleski argued he had a stronger conservative voting record than Theriault, the Trump endorsement was important in the race between two candidates who each touted their support for the ex-president and had never sought higher office. 

Theriault repeatedly highlighted Trump’s endorsement in debates, interviews and ads. His pugnacious primary campaign was far different against the one he crafted during his 2022 race for the St. John Valley seat long held by the legendary former House Speaker John Martin, a Democrat from Eagle Lake, when he backed keeping Maine’s permissive abortion laws in place.

He is primed to run aggressively against Golden in the general election, mentioning border security, support for small businesses and drug overdoses as among key issues he feels Golden and Biden are not doing enough on nationally and in the sprawling, rural 2nd District.

A Golden campaign spokesperson said the campaign was “glad for this outcome” and the November contest “is the race we wanted.“

Golden, 41, a third-term congressman and Marine veteran from Lewiston, has benefited from cross-party support during his past campaigns, even narrowly outpolling Trump in the 2nd District when they shared the ballot in 2020. He opposed Biden more than any other congressional Democrat last year, according to a CQ-Roll Call Analysis.

Yet Republicans see an opportunity to bring their voters home against Golden after he abruptly reversed himself to back a ban on so-called assault weapons after the October mass shooting in his home city. Theriault has also campaigned against the Inflation Reduction Act, a climate-tax bill championed by Biden that Golden supported last year.

Soboleski, who spent Tuesday night with a group of supporters at Margaritas Mexican Restaurant in Augusta, said he was proud of his campaign team and emphasized he will focus now on supporting Republican candidates for the Maine House of Representatives. He said he would put a statement Wednesday when asked if he would call Theriault to congratulate him.

“We unturned every stone we could,” Soboleski said. “Unfortunately it didn’t go our way, and the voters have decided what they want to do.”

At the polls in Fort Kent, Theriault’s supporters expressed pride Tuesday in his northern Maine roots while highlighting his younger age.

“He really is there to support the people,” Tracy Caron, a restaurant owner from Fort Kent, said. “We need fresh blood out there, and especially in small communities like this.”

BDN writer Christopher Bouchard contributed to this report.

BANGOR (WGME) — The Associated Press is projecting that former NASCAR driver and current Maine State Representative Austin Theriault has won the Republican Party’s nomination in Maine’s Second Congressional District Tuesday night.

• Also read: 2024 June Primary Election Results for Maine

Theriault defeated fellow Maine State Representative Mike Soboleski for the GOP nomination.

He will now move on to face Democratic incumbent Congressman Jared Golden for Golden’s seat in November.

Theriault says this is for working people across the state and now is the time to put people over politics.

He says that people are feeling forgotten and hanging on by a thread.

The 30-year-old from Fort Kent argues there needs to be leaders in Washington who know what it’s like to struggle.

• Also read: Maine Republicans gather signatures to repeal national popular vote

He also hammered on some key issues, like protecting Social Security, securing the border and addressing mental health.

Theriault touts his background in small business as something that sets himself apart from his opponents.

He argues that experience could help address a huge issue for all Americans: inflation and the economy.

“People are tired of politicians. They want results, and it’s time we get to work for them,” Theriault said.

“I know Jared’s had a pretty good voting record. He’s been careful on a few things and stuff, but he’s still voted along right with Nancy Pelosi,” voter Allen Albert said.

Maine Rep. Austin Theriault, R-Fort Kent, center, a former NASCAR driver, campaigns for Maine’s 2nd Congressional District, Wednesday, June 5, 2024, in Farmington, Maine. Theriault is running against Rep. Mike Soboleski, R-Phillips, in the Maine primary on Tuesday, June 11. The winner will face Democrat U.S. Rep. Jared Golden in November. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

• Also read: Here’s what you need to know about Maine’s primary elections, school budget proposals

“I want someone who I’m pretty sure will vote according to the principals that most Republicans stand for,” voter Anne Marie Quin said.

While this is seen as a pretty red district and went for Trump twice, this part of the state has actually been pretty blue at a federal level for a long time.

It’s something that Theriault brought up during his speech.

Theriault thinks he can drum up support from a broad coalition by talking about education, childcare, energy costs and other issues people are facing.

Soboleski was the decided underdog, both in fundraising and after former President Donald Trump endorsed his opponent.

He said he was confident in his base supporters, many of whom were veterans, hoping that with his military experience, Soboleski could unseat his fellow Marine in Golden, but that support ultimately was not enough.

Growing left-wing split on Israel and Palestine shows itself in Maine

by Michael Shepherd

Wednesday’s pro-Palestine rally in Portland’s Monument Square that led to rebukes from big-name Maine politicians was an example of a long-term trend of diminishing sympathy toward Israel on the American left.

This is something that has been measured in polling over the last decade or so. For the first time, Gallup found this year that Democrats sympathized more with Palestine than they do with Israel in the long-term Middle East conflict, bucking the U.S. foreign policy status quo.

The context: Divides between President Joe Biden and progressives illustrate this on the heels of Hamas’ brutal weekend invasion of Israel. The president defended Israel in a Tuesday speech, while some on his left “sought a more nuanced description of the escalating conflict,” as CNN put it, including a focus on Israel’s blockade of the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip.

That is what Maine saw on Wednesday. Hundreds attended a pro-Israel rally at a synagogue in Portland at the same time as the smaller downtown pro-Palestine demonstration held by left-wing groups. Notably, the Maine chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America joined the event as a sponsor, with a leader saying it was to help provide security there.

The DSA is a major player in Portland politics, racking up some victories in recent years. Nationally, it is going through a reckoning on Israel, something that Politico reported on Wednesday. Progressive members of Congress are letting memberships lapse and criticizing chapters for their roles in pro-Palestine rallies, including one in New York City.

What they’re saying: That chapter issued an apology in a statement that later focused on the right-wing Israeli government’s “escalating human rights violations and explicitly genocidal rhetoric.” In Maine, some demonstrators were clear that their support for Palestine does not extend to Hamas but still blamed Israel.

“I hope this rally doesn’t get twisted in any type of way as support for … Hamas or innocent life loss,” one demonstrator in Portland told CBS News 13. “We are saying that the U.S. needs to stop funding the Israeli military occupation and return land and liberty to the people of Palestine.”

The backlash was swift from many establishment figures in Maine. Rep. Jared Golden, a Democrat from the swing 2nd District, issued a statement denouncing the rally, although state Rep. Austin Theriault, one of Golden’s Republican opponents, said the congressman should condemn some of his more progressive colleagues. Sen. Angus King, an independent who caucuses with Democrats, did not comment.

Rep. Chellie Pingree, a progressive Democrat from the 1st District who has broken with Maine’s delegation on certain Israel-Palestine issues before, sharply condemned Hamas in a statement that said the U.S. must support Israel but that aid “must be predicated on preserving humanity and not on perpetuating greater cycles of violence.”

What’s next: That shows the official line from Democrats is reasonably united around Israel but different in tone. The trend in this debate is resembling Republican fissures on Ukraine’s war with Russia. In March, 53 of them in the Maine House of Representatives voted against a resolution of support for Ukraine.

The Israel-Palestine debate may not make it to the halls of the State House, but the timing of Wednesday’s rally and the groups involved are showing that it is at least an undercurrent in the politics of Maine’s largest city.

Maine DSA Stages Pro-Hamas Rally in Portland, Calls Terror Attacks on Israel “Morally and Legally Legitimate”

Hamas Terrorism Exposes Anti-Semitism of Extreme Left

BY EDWARD TOMIC

OCTOBER 12, 2023

UPDATED:OCTOBER 12, 2023

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As the death toll in the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict continues to rise, the Maine Democratic Socialists of America (Maine DSA) and the Communist Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL) held a rally in support of Hamas in Portland’s Monument Square Wednesday evening.

The militant Islamist organization Hamas launched a multifaceted terrorist attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, crossing over the Israel-Gaza border, including an attack on a music festival that killed at least 260 people.

“The corporate media and politicians want the public to believe that Israel is simply defending itself from ‘terrorism’ — that’s a lie,” Zach Campbell from Maine DSA, the rally’s emcee, said in his opening remarks.

“The actions of the resistance over the course of the last day is a morally and legally legitimate response to the occupation,” he said, referring to the Hamas offensive that killed over 1,300 Israelis.

Campbell led several chants to be echoed by the gathered crowd of socialists, including “When Palestine is occupied, resistance is justified,” and “Netanyahu you can’t hide, we charge you with genocide.”

A lone counter protester, Tyler Washburn of Harpswell, stood to the side of the protest carrying a sign reading “Israel deserves our support #NoToHamas.”

“When I was in high school, I had an English teacher who said if you see injustice stand up to it,” Washburn said. “After the tragedy that we saw on Saturday in Israel, I wanted to make sure that in Maine’s largest city, Mainers could at least see that other voices were represented in this discussion.”

“Overwhelmingly Mainers oppose what happened and stand with Israel, and I’m here to show that support,” he said.

“When innocent children are massacred, when moms can’t go back to their kids, dads are gone — there’s a time and place to have a civil discourse, and unfortunately I don’t think tonight is the time to be cheerleading for a side that committed atrocities,” he added.

Maine’s Democratic officials have, with a few exceptions, avoided commenting on the protest.

Democratic Maine Congressman Jared Golden issued a statement condemning the “Free Palestine” rally in Portland earlier Wednesday afternoon.

“The idea that any organization or group of people would seize upon the tragedy taking place in Israel and the suffering of the Jewish community to present a false equivalency between the government of Israel and Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran would be almost laughable were it not so sickening given the atrocities committed against the people of Israel these past few days,” Rep. Golden wrote.

“The kidnapping and public abuse, and the murder of women, children, and the elderly, even babies – entire families killed in their own homes; these are the brutal actions of Hamas, a violent militant organization elected and supported by the Palestinians living in Gaza,” Golden continued.

“There is no equivalent evil in the comparably reserved but necessarily strong military response by Israel in defense of its nation and its people,” he wrote. “Most of us would expect no less, perhaps even more if this were happening in America, and in fact, Americans have been killed and taken hostage.”

At least 22 Americans have been killed in the Israel-Hamas conflict, with at least 17 others unaccounted for, according to the U.S. State Department.

U.S. Sen. Susan Collins also denounced Wednesday’s rally, saying that the left-wing organizers “should be condemning Hamas, rather than excusing these appalling tactics.”

State Rep. Austin Theriault, R-Fort Kent, who is challenging Golden in the 2024 race for Maine’s 2nd Congressional District, blasted Golden for not calling out his party’s association with the Democratic Socialists of America.

State Rep. Mike Soboleski, R-Phillips, who is also running to unseat Golden, issued a statement Saturday, Oct. 7, condemning Hamas’ attack on Israel as “horrific and unconscionable.”

“Just weeks ago, the Biden Administration handed over $6 billion to Iran. This kind of foreign policy maleficence is unacceptable and must stop,” Rep. Soboleski said. “Israel has the right to defend itself against these terrorist attacks. I will always stand with Israel. America must always stand with Israel.”

“Tonight’s rally in Portland is a display of unacceptable hate by the left. It may be in line with Portland’s values, but it’s not in line with common sense folks in the rest of Maine,” Rep. Theriault said in his Wednesday statement.

“This is a Democratic Socialists of America rally and Jared Golden has DSA ties,” Theriault wrote. “He should have spoken out against the fact that his colleagues and their affiliated socialist groups have been taking the pro-Hamas position since the Hamas attacks, but he’s been silent for days.”

“He can’t have it both ways. Maine doesn’t need someone like Golden who won’t confront the Democratic Socialists of America on these issues — it needs some simple, effective County common sense,” he added. “We don’t act like this in Maine.”

The Maine House Republicans issued the following statement Wednesday condemning Hamas’ attack on Israel:

House Republicans join the international community in condemning the brutal attack on the people of Israel by the terrorist group Hamas. Earlier this year, the Legislature recommitted itself to combating the global rise in antisemitism. We denounce the unjustifiable killing and injuring of Jewish and other civilians without prejudice. Please join us in praying for Israel.

Democratic Rep. Chellie Pingree did not comment on the Portland rally, but issued a statement in response to the attack on Israel over the weekend.

“I am horrified by the attacks against the Israeli people and condemn them unequivocally,” Rep. Pingree wrote. “This unprovoked violence is unacceptable. Today the United States must stand beside the Israeli people on this difficult day and in the days to come.”

Sen. Angus King issued a similar statement on the attack, calling it “a deadly and dangerous escalation.”

Gov. Janet Mills told the Bangor Daily News when asked Wednesday about the rally that her “heart goes out to the people of Israel, Maine’s Jewish community and all impacted by the evil, unspeakable acts of terror carried out this weekend by Hamas”.

She did not comment directly on the rally.

Despite condemnations of the attack from Maine’s entire Congressional delegation and Gov. Mills, many of the state’s top Democratic politicians have remained silent on the conflict and have not yet responded to the left-wing groups’ Portland protest.

The Maine DSA is an active supporter of the Maine Democratic Party, yet as of Thursday Democratic State Senate President Troy Jackson (D-Allagash), the Maine Democratic Party, and House Speaker Rachel Talbot Ross (D-Portland) have remained silent on Wednesday’s protest and the conflict.

Former Portland Mayor Ethan Strimling, who regularly attends Maine DSA meetings and was recently hired for a political podcast by News Center Maine, has not condemned Wednesday evening’s rally or commented on the ongoing conflict.

The DSA and PSL were not the only left-wing groups to rally support for Palestine — the Chicago chapter of Black Lives Matter came under fire earlier this week when they shared an image appearing to represent a Hamas paratrooper with a Palestine flag.

Maine Public | By Steve Mistler

Published September 25, 2023 at 4:00 PM EDT

A third Republican has declared his candidacy for Maine’s 2nd Congressional District seat in the hopes of defeating Democratic U.S. Rep. Jared Golden.

Former NASCAR driver and current state Rep. Austin Theriault, of Fort Kent, joins Rep. Mike Soboleksi, of Phillips, and Robert Cross, of Dedham, to compete for the Republican nomination and the right to take on Golden next year.

Theriault’s candidacy has been anticipated for some time because of his public profile from NASCAR and his backing by national Republican leaders.

All three GOP candidates are expected to highlight inflation, immigration and the drug epidemic while trying to pin those problems on Golden, who is in the middle of his third term.

Golden has positioned himself as a moderate Democrat while holding Maine’s more conservative 2nd District, at times angering Democratic activists with his opposition to the American Rescue Plan and President Joe Biden’s college loan forgiveness initiative.

Austin Theriault is hoping to unseat Rep. Jared Golden

WMTW ABC 8 | Adam Bartow Executive Producer

FORT KENT, Maine —

Current Maine State Representative and former NASCAR driver Austin Theriault launched his campaign Monday for Maine’s 2nd Congressional District seat.

Theriault, who was born and raised in Fort Kent, is hoping to unseat Rep. Jared Golden in 2024.

Following his NASCAR career, he was elected to the Maine House of Representatives in 2022, representing much of the St. John Valley.

In launching his campaign, he says he is committed to making Maine’s 2nd Congressional District a better place for working-class Mainers to live. He says regular Mainers are being priced out and attacked by people in government who hold too much power and not enough common sense and that it’s time for energetic and effective leadership for Maine at a national level.

“I think people across the district are looking for a new generation of leaders. I think age is important. Its time for our generation to truly take accountability for what’s going on in our country. We’re not always going to agree on the issues, but I think its our generation’s time to stand up,” Theriault told Maine’s Total Coverage.

Sept 25, 2023

FORT KENT, Maine (AP) — NASCAR driver-turned-politician Austin Theriault announced Monday that he’s entering the Republican primary seeking an opportunity to challenge Democratic U.S. Rep. Jared Golden in what’s expected to be one of the country’s most competitive 2024 House races.

Theriault, who made his announcement on radio shows, said he’ll “come in with fire” to confront issues like inflation, illegal border crossings and dying small towns. “Regular hardworking folks are getting held down by out-of-touch, out-of-state elites who are clueless about how hard it is to make a living in Maine,” he said.

The 29-year-old freshman state lawmaker from Fort Kent formally filed his paperwork Monday, joining mortgage broker Robert Cross, of Dedham and another first-term lawmaker, Michael Soboleski, of Phillips, in the primary contest.

The rural, sprawling 2nd Congressional District has become a hotly contested seat as the region has become a conservative bastion in liberal New England. Former President Donald Trump won the district in 2020, giving him an electoral vote.

Golden has won three times, twice defeating former GOP Rep. Bruce Poliquin thanks to ranked voting. The voting system is designed to ensure the winner collects a majority of the vote by allowing additional voting rounds in which lower-ranked candidates are eliminated and votes are reallocated. It was upheld in federal court after Poliquin sued after his 2018 defeat.

Theriault isn’t the only race car driver to try his hand at politics in New England. Vermont Republican Gov. Phil Scott has for decades been a regular at the Thunder Road track, but his racing career didn’t reach the same heights as Theriault.

Theriault launched his career at the local speedway and worked his way to NASCAR’s top level before being injured in a crash at 2019 NASCAR race at the Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama. He has since stepped back from driving, and consults and mentors other drivers.

Theriault is running to fight and WIN for struggling Mainers under attack from out-of-touch, out-of-state elites

Theriault has deep roots in the district & a track record of success

For Immediate Release

Contact: [email protected]

FORT KENT, ME – Fort Kent native, small businessman, state representative, and championship-winning race car driver Austin Theriault today filed formal paperwork announcing his intention to run for Maine’s battleground 2nd Congressional District seat.

Maine’s 2nd Congressional District is expected to be one of the most competitive races in the country in 2024.

Theriault in Victory Lane

“Regular hardworking folks are getting held down by out-of-touch, out-of-state elites who are clueless about how hard it is to make a living in Maine,” Theriault said. “And some of our leaders are not very effective in fighting back – and I will be.

Inflation and the cost of living is out of control, the drug crisis is tearing apart rural Maine, our borders are wide open, our small towns are dying – and I will come in with the fire to confront these issues. 

Joe Biden has failed us and Jared Golden more times than not fails to stand up, speak out, and get the job done for a part of the state that desperately needs leadership. Golden is a nice guy, but he is still part of the problem.

Maine doesn’t need old, failed leaders like Biden, Pelosi, and Schumer – or those will fail to hold them accountable. We need a new generation of leaders who will be effective in fighting back against them and standing up for you.

Here’s why I’m the guy to do that:

My story is similar to that of many rural Maine families: my grandfather, who couldn’t read or write, left school in 4th grade to work on the farm to feed his family. From the grip of poverty, through hard sacrifices and labor from his bare hands, our family built a logging business in Aroostook County. My family taught me the values that govern my life: love of family, respect for people, the value of hard work, and perseverance. 

I grew up in Fort Kent, started racing at 13, started managing my business at 16, and graduated from Fort Kent Community High School. After I stepped back from competing across the country at NASCAR’s most legendary tracks to focus on the business side of racing, I was elected to the Maine House of Representatives, where I represent part of Aroostook County.

I know what Mainers face: the working class is being priced out and attacked by people in government who hold too much power and not enough common sense. It’s time for relentless, energetic, and effective leadership for Maine at a national level. Mainers in the Second Congressional District need a louder, more involved voice in Washington who understands their way of life and will effectively fight for that way of life. I will be that voice.”

About Austin:

Theriault, 29, currently represents the 1st District in the Maine House of Representatives. Traditionally a Democratic stronghold, Theriault won the 1st District with more than 70 percent of the vote in 2022. He’s an Aroostook County-born entrepreneur and former NASCAR driver who is committed to making Maine’s 2nd Congressional District a better place for working-class Mainers to live.

He hails from a multi-generational logging and farming family with deep roots in Aroostook County’s St. John Valley. 

Austin’s family in 2003 and 2023

He started racing at 13, and at age 16, he took over the management of his racing career handling contract negotiations, sponsorship agreements and all administrative tasks. During this time he used these skills and hard work to pursue authentic partnerships and forge relationships across multiple industries.

Austin drove the “Maine Car” at Kentucky Speedway in 2014 

His efforts paid off in 2017 when he captured the ARCA Racing Series national championship, driving for NASCAR legend Kenny Schrader, in a record breaking season.

After Austin stepped away from driving, he fully focused on the business side of the sport where he excels in mentoring, managing and training new drivers. Austin is someone who works to build bridges and will use all he has learned from his family and entrepreneurial efforts to do the same in Washington.

During his first term in Augusta, Austin wasted no time – he got bipartisan legislation passed that will help fix Maine’s roads. He also helped create a new bipartisan law that will bring more forest industry jobs and lower energy costs to rural Maine.

However, he also saw that much more needs to be done for rural Maine immediately – and that’s why he’s running for the United States House of Representatives.

Mainers in the Second Congressional District need a voice in Washington who understands their way of life – and will fight for that way of life while forging relationships that will benefit Mainers for years to come. That’s Austin Theriault.

BY STEVE COLLINS SUN JOURNAL

Austin Theriault of Fort Kent enters 2nd Congressional District race

Creating a potential three-way primary, a former NASCAR driver from Fort Kent hopes to speed past the two Republicans who have already entered the race to unseat U.S. Rep. Jared Golden in Maine’s expansive 2nd Congressional District.

Austin Theriault Photo courtesy of AT Enterprise

Austin Theriault, a 29-year-old state representative, said Monday he decided to challenge Golden because the three-term Lewiston Democrat “fails to stand up, speak out and get the job done for a part of the state that desperately needs leadership.”

“Golden is a nice guy,” he said, “but he is still part of the problem.”

Theriault’s national reputation may put him in the driver’s seat in a GOP primary field that includes state Rep. Mike Soboleski of Phillips and Robert Cross of Dedham. Other Republicans are still eyeing the race.

Golden, a 41-year-old U.S. Marine Corps combat veteran who grew up in Leeds, squeaked past an incumbent Republican, Bruce Poliquin, to win the seat in 2018. He held off Dale Craft of Lisbon to keep it 2020 and then easily defeated Poliquin again in 2022.

Theriault may prove a tough contender for one of only a few dozen seats nationally that both political parties say is up for grabs. Though Golden has won it three times in a row, rural voters in the biggest district east of the Mississippi River backed former President Donald Trump in 2016 and 2020, delivering him his only electoral vote in New England.

Theriault, who was elected to the state House in 2022, began racing stock cars in high school and competed “across the country at NASCAR’s most legendary tracks” before hitting the brakes on taking the wheel for NASCAR races in 2019. Since then, he has run a driver development business.

“I know what Mainers face: the working class is being priced out and attacked by people in government who hold too much power and not enough common sense,” he said in a prepared statement declaring his candidacy.

“It’s time for relentless, energetic, and effective leadership for Maine at a national level,” he said.

Theriault said that “inflation and the cost of living is out of control, the drug crisis is tearing apart rural Maine, our borders are wide open, our small towns are dying — and I will come in with the fire to confront these issues.”

“Mainers in the 2nd Congressional District need a louder, more involved voice in Washington who understands their way of life and will effectively fight for that way of life,” he said. “I will be that voice.”

Theriault said Mainers don’t need “old, failed leaders” like President Joe Biden, former U. S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer — all Democrats.

“We need a new generation of leaders who will be effective in fighting back against them and standing up for you,” he told voters.

Golden had $611,000 in his campaign treasury at the end of June. At the time, Cross had $31,000.

The race, though, will likely wind up attracting millions of dollars in political action committee funds and other donations as the parties vie for control of the closely divided U.S. House.

Republicans will select their standard bearer to face Golden in a June primary. The general election is slated for November 2024.