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The 2012 United States House of Representatives elections in Maine was held on Tuesday, November 6, 2012 to elect the two U.S. Representatives from the state of Maine, one from each of the state's two congressional districts. The elections coincided with the elections of other federal and state offices, including a quadrennial presidential election and an election to the U.S. Senate. As of 2016, this is the last election in Democrats won both of Maine's congressional districts.
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Redistricting
Unlike most states, which will pass or have passed redistricting laws to redraw the boundaries of their congressional districts based on the 2010 United States Census in advance of the 2012 elections, Maine law requires that redistricting be done in 2013. In March 2011, a lawsuit was filed asking a U.S. district judge to ensure redistricting is completed in time for the 2012 elections. According to the Census, the 1st district had a population of 8,669 greater than that of the 2nd district. The Maine Democratic Party, which opposes the lawsuit, was granted intervenor status, and argues that the lawsuit constitutes an attempt by the Maine Republican Party to force Representatives Chellie Pingree and Mike Michaud, both of whom are Democrats, to run in the same district. On June 9, 2011, a panel of three federal judges agreed that failing to redistrict would be unconstitutional, and that the state should redraw the boundaries of its districts immediately.
Governor Paul LePage will call a special session of the Maine Legislature on September 27 to consider a redistricting plan. On August 15, both Republicans and Democrats released redistricting proposals. The Republican plan would move Lincoln County, Knox County (including Pingree's hometown of North Haven) and Sagadahoc County from the 1st district to the 2nd, and move Oxford County and Androscoggin County from the 2nd district to the 1st, thereby making the 2nd district more favorable to Republicans. The Democratic plan, meanwhile, would not significantly change the current districts: only Vassalboro would be moved from the 1st district to the 2nd.
District 1
Democrat Chellie Pingree, who has represented Maine's 1st congressional district since 2009, was gathering signatures to run for the U.S. Senate, however she decided not to run. State senator Cynthia Dill and state representative Jon Hinck, both of whom are Democrats, had picked up petitions to run in the 1st district. However after Pingree stepped out of the Senate race, Dill and Hinck returned campaigning for U.S. Senate
Merchant marine Patrick Calder had filed with the Federal Election Commission to seek the Republican nomination in the 1st district, while State Senate majority leader Jon Courtney and former Secretary of State of Maine Markham Gartley had picked up petitions to do so. Businessman Richard Snow also may run for the Republican nomination.
Shawn Moody, who unsuccessfully ran for Governor in 2010 as an independent, was rumored as a potential candidate for Congress in the 1st district as an independent or as a Republican.
General election results
District 2
Democrat Mike Michaud, who has represented Maine's 2nd congressional district since 2003, will not run for the U.S. Senate, and is running for a sixth term in the United States House of Representatives. David Costa, a concierge at the Portland Harbor Hotel; Wellington Lyons, a lawyer; and David Lamoine, a former state treasurer, had taken out papers to seek the Democratic nomination to succeed Michaud had he run for Senate. Emily Cain, the minority leader of the Maine House of Representatives, had also planned to seek the Democratic nomination in the 2nd district if Michaud decided to run for the Senate seat.
Kevin Raye, the president of the Maine Senate, announced in January 2012 he would seek the Republican nomination to challenge Michaud. Jason Levesque, a businessman and unsuccessful candidate for the 2nd district in 2010, said he may seek the Republican nomination in the 2nd district if Raye were to run for Senate. However after Senator Olympia Snowe announced on February 28 she would not seek re-election, five additional candidates announced they would seek Republican nomination in the Senate, so due to the large amount of candidates running Raye decided to continue his campaign for the House. In March 2012 Blaine Richardson, a retired naval veteran of Farmington, announced he would challenge Raye in the June 12th primary. Raye was declared the winner of the primary at 9:43pm with 78% of precincts reporting.