In Maine's 2nd Congressional District Democratic primary, an open seat after incumbent Rep. Jared Golden's November 2025 retirement announcement has fueled a competitive race among four candidates ahead of the June 9 ranked-choice voting contest. Trader consensus positions state Sen. Joe Baldacci as the frontrunner at 55% implied probability, reflecting his leads in public polls like the March Pan Atlantic Omnibus survey (36%) and name recognition tied to his brother, former Gov. John Baldacci, who previously held the seat, plus his experience as Bangor mayor. State Auditor Matthew Dunlap follows closely at 35%, bolstered by his early entry and prior roles as secretary of state. The candidates' first TV debate last week underscored policy alignment on key issues, yielding no major shifts, while Golden trails at 19.6% on slim write-in prospects and Jordan Wood at 13.5%. Paige Loud remains a longshot despite positive analyst reviews.