State Sen. Joe Baldacci officially launched a campaign for Maine's 2nd Congressional District on Monday, joining several other Democrats hoping to succeed retiring Rep. Jared Golden in the swing district.
Baldacci is an attorney who has represented Bangor and Hermon in the Maine Senate since 2020. A former longtime Bangor city councilor who as served several terms as mayor of Maine's third-largest city, Baldacci is also the brother of former governor and Democratic congressman John Baldacci.
"I’m running for Congress because Maine needs a fighter in Washington D.C. — someone who understands what it means when groceries, health care, and housing become unaffordable, and who will actually do something about it," Baldacci said in a statement. "I’ll vote to restore (Affordable Care Act) subsidies, protect Social Security and Medicare, crack down on corporate greed, and stand up for small businesses and working families."
Baldacci joins four other Democrats who have already entered the primary: Matt Dunlap, Jordan Wood, Louis Sigel and Paige Loud. The primary election will be held on June 9.
Maine's 2nd District is a perennial battleground between the two national parties, but Golden's surprise announcement last fall that he will retire after four terms has thrown the race wide open. Former Republican Gov. Paul LePage is the current favorite to win the GOP nomination.
