Who's running in Maine's 1st congressional district
2 candidates are on the ballot. Below is what each one says they stand for, what they have actually done in office or in public life, and the arguments published for and against them — each quoted from a named source rather than summarised by us.
2 candidates · ballot order · Chellie Pingree currently holds this seat
Medium confidenceMedium confidenceThe candidate's stated positions and basic record are documented, but coverage is thin — often little independent reporting, or criticism from only one side.What would raise it: More independent reporting, a documented voting record, or published criticism from a named opponent would raise this.
What they say they stand for
Their own words. Claims, not verified facts.
Nothing documented in the sources reviewed.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
US Representative for Maine's 1st District since January 2009; re-elected with 58.1% in 2024.
Member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.
Unopposed in the June 9, 2026 Democratic primary.
Endorsed by the National Education Association, League of Conservation Voters Action Fund, Planned Parenthood Action Fund and J Street, per Wikipedia.
Arguments in favor
Teachers', environmental and abortion rights groups have endorsed Pingree for re-election.
— National Education Association, League of Conservation Voters Action Fund and Planned Parenthood Action Fund, per Wikipedia's race page
Arguments against
The district needs 'an alternative to our current representative' who will 'represent all of the constituents' and 'return some common sense to the job'; 'hard working families and seniors are getting left behind by jet-setting politicians who ignore reality.'
— Ron Russell, Republican opponent (Maine Public, Ballotpedia candidate survey)
Pingree is insufficiently bipartisan.
— State Rep. Tiffany Roberts, who sought to challenge her in the Democratic primary but did not qualify, per Wikipedia's race page
What we couldn’t verify
Pingree's own 2026 campaign platform could not be loaded from her campaign site or an interview, so her positions are not listed.
No NRCC material on Pingree was found; the seat is not on a loaded Republican target list.
Debate plans had not been reported in a loaded source.
More civility and cross-party cooperation in Congress.
Making the tax relief in the 2025 One Big Beautiful Bill Act permanent.
Protecting Medicaid by cutting fraud, waste and abuse and ending MaineCare coverage for people in the country illegally.
Exploring alternatives to Social Security without changing it for people already paying in.
Schools focused on math, science, history and English, with parents as partners.
Ending indefinite aid to Ukraine in favor of vetted, overseen aid; opposing a right to abortion.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
Has not held elected office; Republican nominee for this seat in 2024.
US Army 1976–2006; West Point graduate; defense contractor.
Won the June 9, 2026 Republican primary 53.5% to 46.5%.
Endorsed by Sanford Police Chief Eric Small, per Wikipedia.
Arguments in favor
Russell says his age and three decades of Army service give him the experience to serve effectively, and he would 'improve the cooperation across the aisle and bring back some decency in the discourse that occurs in Washington.'
— Ron Russell (Maine Public, Portland Press Herald)
Arguments against
Russell does not have the energy to seriously compete in the district, as his lopsided 2024 loss shows.
Positions and criticism are quoted from the named sources, not our assessments. This is built to help you start getting informed — confirm the official candidate list with your election authority before you vote.
November 3, 2026 is Maine's general election. This race is decided by ranked-choice voting, which remains in force for 2026: Maine uses it in primaries and in general elections for federal offices, including the US House, though not for governor or the Legislature. If no candidate wins a majority of first choices, last-place candidates are eliminated and their ballots move to voters' next choices until someone passes 50%. In April 2026 the Maine Supreme Judicial Court advised against expanding ranked-choice voting to state general elections, but that opinion left its use in congressional races unchanged. The map did not change for 2026: the current two districts remain in use, and no redraw or pending congressional map case was found. Primaries were held June 9, 2026. Democratic Rep. Chellie Pingree was unopposed after state Rep. Tiffany Roberts failed to qualify for the primary ballot; Ron Russell, the 2024 nominee, won the Republican primary 53.5% to 46.5% over Joshua Pietrowicz. The Maine Secretary of State's final general election candidate list shows only Pingree and Russell for this district, and no declared write-in candidate is listed for it. The district covers southern and coastal Maine, including Portland and York, Cumberland, Sagadahoc, Lincoln and Knox counties. Pingree won 58.1% in 2024. Candidates are listed Democrat then Republican as on the Secretary of State's list; that is not verified ballot order and implies no ranking.
This is one contest on a longer ballot
A Maine ballot also carries state legislative districts, county offices, judicial seats and often local questions — and which of them you vote on is decided by your street address, not your city or ZIP code.