Representative Jared Golden, a three-term Democrat, defeated Austin Theriault, a former NASCAR driver, in one of a handful of districts held by Democrats that Donald J. Trump won in 2020.

Maine Democratic Rep. Jared Golden won reelection against GOP state Rep. Austin Theriault in a battleground Maine House district, The Associated Press projected. Golden prevailed after a ranked-choice tabulation completed Friday, 50.35 percent to 49.65 percent, with all other voters redistributed.

Democratic incumbent U.S. Rep. Jared Golden has emerged victorious after the state conducted its ranked choice runoff for Maine’s 2nd Congressional District.

Democratic Rep. Jared Golden came out ahead in the congressional race through Maine’s ranked choice system, election officials said Friday. If the results stand it would be the third time in four elections in the hotly contested district that Golden won after votes were retabulated because first choices failed to produce a majority for any candidate.

But the campaign for Republican Austin Theriault immediately requested a hand recount, meaning the winner likely won't be officially declared until December.

Incumbent Democratic U.S. Rep. Jared Golden won the ranked choice vote with 50.35% for Maine’s 2nd Congressional District, which election officials determined Friday through a tabulation process that took four days.

Ranked-choice tabulation Friday determined the three-term Democrat won one of the costliest contests in the country.

Democratic Rep. Jared Golden locked in a tight race for re-election against Republican state Rep. Austin Theriault in Trump-won district.