BANGOR, Maine — Two Trump-aligned state representatives are vying for a chance to unseat Democratic Congressman Jared Golden in Maine’s second congressional district. But first, one of them must defeat the other.
Austin Theriault and Michael Soboleski are both confident voters in their mostly rural and deeply Republican district are ready to abandon Golden, a moderate Democrat, and join the Trump movement at the congressional level. But the two candidates differ in their approach to that goal.
Theriault, a former NASCAR driver, is from an Aroostook County family with French roots. To him, capitalizing on that demographic, which has not always voted Republican, is key.
"I understand the mentality of those Kennedy-style Democrats, independents who are really just frustrated with the political system," Theriault said on Tuesday.
To win the second district, Theriault is presenting a platform that centers on a deep frustration with the economic condition of rural Maine.
"There’s less opportunities, the kids have moved away. And as somebody who's young myself, I don’t like that and I want to put a stop to it," Theriault said.
While Soboleski’s platform is protectionist and emphasizes returning manufacturing jobs to Maine, his approach to winning the election is rooted less in finding common ground and more in attracting voters to a deeply conservative vision.
"It’s just not working for people. People want a conservative posture; they want a fighter, we’re in a war," Soboleski said.
Soboleski, a Marine veteran, is also seeking to present himself as more in touch with the Republican base than his rival, Theriault.
"We’re actually nothing alike. We share the Republican moniker, but that’s basically it. I am a one-hundred percent conservative," Soboleski said.
The two Republican candidates will compete in a primary this June.