Matt Dunlap applauds SCOTUS decision on Trump mail-in ballot changes. Paul LePage has no comment.
Supreme Court Blocks Trump‑Admin Mail‑Ballot Plan as Maine’s 2nd‑District Race Intensifies
A U.S. Supreme Court ruling on Monday halted the Trump administration’s attempt to reshape mail‑in voting ahead of the November election, a decision that has drawn praise from Maine’s Democratic candidates while the former Republican governor, Paul LePage, pushes to unseat incumbent U.S. Rep. Jared Golden.
The court’s injunction prevented the U.S. Postal Service from enforcing a new set of rules that would have required states to use a uniform envelope style for mailed ballots, submit lists of eligible voters to a federal online portal, and allowed the Postal Service to refuse delivery of ballots to non‑compliant states. The proposal, advanced by the Trump administration, was criticized by election officials and civil‑rights groups as a threat to voter access.
Judicial Reaction
In an unsigned opinion, the majority of the Court—five justices, including three Trump appointees—held that the timing of the rule was “too close” to the November 3 election. Chief Justice John Roberts, joined by Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas, dissented, arguing the change should have been implemented. Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who had concurred in a separate brief, stated that while the rule might be legal in the future, it was premature to impose it now because state and local election officials lacked sufficient time to comply.
Trump, who has repeatedly claimed past elections were “rigged” or “stolen,” blasted the ruling on Truth Social, calling it a “big loss for Republicans, and America itself.” He also criticized the dissenting justices, labeling them “legends,” and decried the “Radical Left” for allegedly making cheating easier.
Maine’s 2nd‑District Contest
Maine’s 2nd Congressional District, which has been a key battleground for Republicans in the 2026 midterms, will be represented by the incumbent Democrat Jared Golden. The seat is now contested by former governor Paul LePage, who ran as a Republican, and former state auditor and long‑time secretary of state Matt Dunlap, a Democrat.
LePage, 77, has a history of echoing Trump’s narrative of election fraud. In a 2022 interview on conservative talk radio, he claimed that voters who “could not speak English” were “not American citizens” and alleged widespread illegal voting in that gubernatorial race. The 2024 election saw Maine voters return about 380,500 absentee ballots—roughly 45% of the 842,000 total ballots cast—underscoring the importance of mail‑in voting in the state.
House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana—who has visited Maine to stump for LePage—joined the former governor’s campaign in August. Johnson’s appearance underscores national Republicans’ view of the district as a potential pickup, despite many forecasters labeling the race “likely Republican.” However, Dunlap has pointed to internal polls indicating a neck‑and‑neck contest.
Reactions to the Ruling
Matt Dunlap, 61, issued a statement on Wednesday expressing relief. “I am glad that the Supreme Court ruled to protect vote by mail,” he said. “As a former secretary of state, protecting people’s right to vote is very important to me.” Dunlap, a Bar Harbor native who now lives in Old Town, noted that the ruling preserves the voting options that have been in place in every other election.
Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, a Democrat who has long clashed with the Trump administration, called the decision “good news for voters and democracy.” She added that the ruling ensures that voters can “rest assured” they will have the same absentee‑voting options they have in all prior elections.
LePage’s campaign did not respond to requests for comment on the ruling. The former governor’s supporters, meanwhile, emphasize his conservative credentials and his stance on “protecting election integrity,” a narrative that resonates with Republican voters but is increasingly challenged by the Supreme Court’s decision and the Democratic campaign’s messaging.
Looking Ahead
The Supreme Court’s intervention leaves mail‑in voting rules unchanged for the upcoming election. Maine’s election officials, who already have systems in place to print and mail ballots 30 days before the election, will continue their current processes. As the campaign season for the 2nd‑District seat heats up, candidates are likely to focus on other issues such as economic policy, healthcare, and national security, while the debate over mail voting remains a backdrop.
With the final push for the November election, Maine voters will once again face a ballot—both in person and by mail—that reflects a complex interplay of legal rulings, partisan politics, and the state’s long history of high voter participation.
