Hannah Pingree and Bobby Charles Advance in Maine Governor Race

Maine finished ranked-choice vote tabulation early Friday morning, June 19, advancing Democrat Hannah Pingree and Republican Bobby Charles to the November general election for governor. Pingree, a former Maine House speaker, emerged from a tight Democratic primary field.

Charles, a conservative Republican and former naval intelligence officer, had led the Republican field ahead of the ranked-choice runoff.

Charles previously led the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs in President George W. Bush’s administration. In Maine’s 2nd Congressional District, Democrat Matt Dunlap advanced to the general election.

Dunlap, the state auditor and former secretary of state, finished second in first-choice votes before prevailing in the ranked-choice tabulation. Jordan Wood, a former chief of staff to former Rep. Katie Porter, was eliminated during the tabulation in the Democratic primary for the open seat.

President Donald Trump carried the 2nd Congressional District by 9 points in the 2024 presidential election. Then-Vice President Kamala Harris carried Maine statewide by about 7 points in the same election. Maine’s major primaries took place on June 9.

The ranked-choice process concluded ten days later, setting the November ballot for both the governor’s race and the open House seat.