Republican U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson said Wednesday night that Maine's 2nd Congressional District race is key to the fight for control of Congress.
Speaking to a crowd of about 400 people at the opening of a Republican "battle station" office, Johnson touted Austin Theriault, the state lawmaker and former NASCAR driver challenging incumbent Democratic Congressman Jared Golden headed into November. Theriault has previously picked up endorsements from both Johnson and former President Donald Trump in his bid to defeat Golden, a moderate Democrat seeking a fourth term in Maine's more conservative congressional district.
"The 2nd District of Maine is so important to us and to the country, not just to your state, but to our ability to keep and grow the House majority so that we can save this republic," the Louisiana Republican told the crowd. "But let me tell you something: I am absolutely convinced we are going to win the White House, the Senate and the House and we are going to fix this mess."
The 30-year-old Theriault, who is finishing up his first term representing Fort Kent in the Maine House, said the economy, inflation and border security are top priorities for Maine voters. He said Maine often feels forgotten in the politics of Washington, D.C., before pointing to Johnson's presence as highlighting the importance of the race.
"That should go to show all of us here in this room, all of us who are listening, and all of those who are paying attention to who they are going to decide and who they are going to vote for, that the future of this country literally runs through us being successful in this race for Congress in Maine's 2nd District," Theriault said.
Both national parties are poised to spend millions of dollars attempting to sway voters in the 2nd District as they battle for control of Congress.
Golden's campaign and Maine Democratic leaders said the event showed that Theriault will be a loyal "follower" of what they portrayed as a harmful agenda led by Johnson.
“Austin Theriault was hand-picked by GOP insiders like Mike Johnson because they know he'll rubber stamp their harmful, extreme agenda," Golden's campaign said in a statement. "Now he's kissed the ring. Theriault’s first vote in Congress will be for a leadership team that opposes lower costs for seniors and wants to cut taxes for the wealthy and big corporations, end protections for pre-existing conditions, choose politics over solutions with the border crisis, and ban abortion nationwide."
Maine Public reporter Susan Sharon contributed to this report.
