East Machias veteran challenging LePage in CD2 Republican primary

A veteran from East Machias has entered the running for the open seat in Maine’s 2nd Congressional District.

James Clark filed to run for the now open seat in what is often considered one of the most hotly contested U.S. House seats in the country, according to paperwork filed with the Federal Elections Commission. He’s running as a Republican, which tees up a primary next June between Clark and former Maine governor Paul LePage.

Clark was a registered Democrat for years, but left because he believes he can “do the most good” with like-minded people in the Republican Party, according to his campaign website. 

Democratic U.S. Rep. Jared Golden, who has held the seat for eight years, said in early November that he would not seek reelection next year. In his announcement, Golden said he hoped his exit would clear the way for competitive primaries for both parties.

With Golden out of the running, there are currently three Democrats vying for the seat as well, including State Auditor Matt Dunlap, Louis Sigel, who formerly served as secretary for the Kennebec County Democratic Committee, and Jordan Wood, who switched from the race to unseat U.S. Sen. Susan Collins to the CD2 election after Golden’s announcement.

To qualify for the primaries, candidates for the U.S. House must gather between 1,000 and 1,250 signatures from registered voters by mid-March. Candidates can start circulating petitions after the new year.

Though the district has been held by a Democrat in recent years, 2nd District voters also backed President Donald Trump three times. 

In addition to fighting for free speech, excellence in education, secure borders, lower costs and smaller government, Clark described himself on his website as “pro-working class, pro-family, pro-opportunity, and very anti-authoritarian.”

With undiagnosed dyslexia and struggling grades, Clark said he dropped out during his sophomore year of high school and later enlisted in the military. 

He cites his difficulty in school as motivating his desire to see Maine and the nation receive top ranking for education. He would like to see more support for students to explore careers in the trades, as well as increased critical thinking, art and music education.

Campaign sweatshirts and other merchandise highlight the fact that Clark is “not a politician” while a page explaining his commitment to “unity, equality and fair opportunity” quotes philosophers including Frederick Douglass and Alexis de Toucqueville.