MILLINOCKET, Maine — With less than a month to go before the GOP congressional primary in Maine, candidates Austin Theriault and Michael Soboleski are laying out their plans to boost the economy of the rural second district, all in hopes of a winning a chance to unseat Democratic incumbent Jared Golden in November.
While distinct in their demeanor and temperament, the two candidates—both members of the Maine House of Representatives, favor a limited government approach to stimulate the economy in the district, which has long been in decline since the closure of mills in the 20th century.
Theriault, a former NASCAR driver, hopes tariffs on foreign imports will incentivize a return in manufacturing to Maine and the U.S. in general. This contrasts with more global market oriented trade practices.
"We look at what happened with free trade, and I think we saw a decimation of rural America," Theriault said during a campaign stop in Millinocket Monday.
Soboleski, a retired Marine, is also an opponent of free trade agreements, like NAFTA, in favor of the Trump administration’s protectionist efforts.
He added that, if elected, deregulating the private sector would be a focus. "Get the government out of our lives," Soboleski said Monday. "I think that’s incredibly important."
Both candidates also agreed on the need for more law enforcement at the northern border to prevent illegal immigration, which has increased over the past several years.
But while Soboleski and Theriault share many similarities on broad issues of policy, their stance regarding former President Donald Trump differs.
Theriault received an endorsement from the former president but still affirms the results of the 2020 presidential election, where President Joe Biden beat Trump.
Soboleski, for his part, asserted Monday: "I believe that Donald Trump won the election, period," Soboleski said. When asked to provide evidence for this claim, he replied, "Can I lead to one specific fact that I can rely upon? No. This is what I believe based on what I've learned."
This difference highlights, perhaps, a larger schism between the two candidates. Where Theriault presents himself firmly as a Republican, he is seeking a more moderate approach to pull voters in the center of the political spectrum.
"I'm a conservative, but at the end of the day, you got to look at the electorate," Theriault said.
Soboleski, on the other hand, presents himself as a Republican hard-liner, questioning his opponent’s pedigree.
"We may have an 'R' beside our name, but that’s as far as it goes," Soboleski added.
With a month to go until the election, data from the Federal Election Commission shows Theriault has raised roughly $1,000,000. Soboleski, on the other hand, has netted just above $100,000.
Republican and unenrolled voters will vote in the congressional primary between Soboleski and Theriault on June 11.