AUGUSTA — Former Republican Gov. Paul LePage is touting his fundraising totals just 57 days into his campaign for the 2nd Congressional District.

The campaign raised more than $550,000, a figure that will be released to the Federal Election Commission in the coming days, according to the campaign.

“It’s incredibly heartening to see so many Mainers step up and stand with me in this new fight,” LePage, a former two-term governor. “From day one, we’ve seen incredible energy from working people who are ready for a stronger voice in Congress who shares their values and delivers real results.”

LePage is taking on incumbent U.S. Rep. Jared Golden, a four-term Democrat. In the first quarter of the year, Golden reported $474,414 in receipts, according to the FEC. Golden's campaign said he raised $820,000 in the second quarter, leaving him with $1 million in cash on hand.

A Golden spokesman characterized it as "the best position the campaign has ever been in at this point in the election cycle."

The 2026 race is expected to be a close contest as Golden looks to hold the seat in a largely Republican district. A poll released June 27 characterized the race as a dead heat, with LePage at 50% and Golden at 47%, according to the University of New Hampshire Survey Center.

LePage, who left the governorship in 2019, is attempting to make his second political comeback. He lost to Gov. Janet Mills, a Democrat, in 2022 by 13 percentage points in the statewide race.

For his part, Golden eked out a win over former state Rep. Austin Theriault, a Republican and former race car driver, in November. After a ranked choice count, Golden won the race with 50.35% compared to Theriault with 49.65%.

The Cook Political Report ranks the 2026 race for Maine’s 2nd Congressional District a toss-up.