OXFORD, Maine — Austin Theriault is nostalgic for the past and thinks you should be, too. The plainspoken Fort Kent native is quick to bring up his childhood in Aroostook County and the values he learned there.
"I was born and raised in a family that worked hard and valued our community and valued families, for sure," Theriault said, just minutes before suiting up for a charity car race at the Oxford Plains Speedway in October.
For all his talk of the past, Theriault has always had an eye on the future.
He realized his dream of racing as a NASCAR driver and returned home to serve as a Maine State Representative—all before he turned 30.
Now, with just two years in Augusta under his belt, Theriault is seeking to unseat three-term incumbent Democrat Jared Golden in a congressional race that could tip the scales of the U.S. House of Representatives.
To do so, Theriault is striking at one of Golden's most precious advantages: his everyman demeanor.
Whereas Golden's last Republican challenger, former congressman Bruce Poliquin, appeared as the financier he was—with button downs and quarter zips—Theriault is matching Golden pound-for-pound in flannel.
You'd be forgiven if you mistook both candidates for loggers returning from a hard day in the Great North Woods.
This strategy goes beyond clothing. Theriault is running on the slogan "people over politics" and has painted Golden as a "flip-flopper" who has abandoned his Maine roots for the glimmer of Washington.
"I think he’s a decent guy. But at the end of the day, he’s aligned with the wrong policies, the wrong principles," Theriault said when asked if he stands by his comment after winning the primary that he would "get a beer" with Golden.
Theriault has been particularly critical of the incumbent's refusal to openly endorse a candidate for president, calling the move "a disservice to voters."
Golden, in turn, has accused Theriault of "running as me."
Although Theriault pushes a bipartisan brand, his politics are firmly to the right.
He supports an energy policy heavy on domestic oil production, opposes any efforts to restrict guns, and praises the Supreme Court's decision to end the federal right to an abortion by overturning Roe v. Wade.
"I don't believe in a federal law; I don't believe in a federal ban. I believe that right now, this issue is going to the states and to the voters in the states," Theriault said of the Dobbs ruling.
In his primary against state Rep. Mike Soboleski, Theriault received the endorsement of former president Donald Trump. Though it played a central role in his campaign for the GOP nomination, you'll only see it mentioned in a few campaign ads.
In a district that voted twice for Trump and three times for Golden, the Republican is staking out a middle ground.
Quick to align himself with the former president on policy, Theriault keeps his personal brand separate.
"[We have a] difference in style. I mean I've talked about that before—[our] difference in style," Theriault said. "But at the end of the day, I know people personally who are not a fan of Mr. Trump, but they're going to vote for him because they're not happy about how things have gone over the past four years."
This message fits into larger effort that has been underway for much of the Theriault campaign: offer a home for voters who both like Trump's politics and Golden's no-frills attitude.
At the same time, in taking on a six-year incumbent, Theriault is presenting himself as a change and restoration candidate, an Aroostook County native who wants to return to how Maine once was.
As he puts it, "We need to get back to the kitchen table and figuring out how we're going to solve our problems."
Now, the vast second district, which includes Aroostook County, Bangor area, and Down East, will decide whether to split their vote as they did in 2020 or back the GOP up and down the ticket.
The result could offer a glimpse into the power of party, the success of branding, and the mindset of Maine.