The Maine Republican Party is not to blame for Maine Republicans losing early and often on Election Day, according to Maine GOP Chair Demi Kouzounas and GOP Executive Director Jason Savage.
That’s the conclusion Maine’s top Republican officials reached a full two weeks after Nov. 8.
“In many areas, Republicans had great success, flipping some legislative seats and many county and local seats in our favor,” the Party officials said in a statement.
“The top of our ticket appears to have been influenced by events beyond the control of a state political party,” it said.
The email doesn’t specify which events are to blame for the widespread underperformance of Maine Republicans.
In the midterm elections, Republican candidates lost a gubernatorial election and two congressional elections, and failed to retake a majority in either house of the State Legislature.
Republican turnout was weak across the state, with former Gov. Paul LePage receiving fewer votes in major municipalities than he did in 2014 and fewer than Republican Shawn Moody did in 2018.
The only Maine Republican in federal elected office is U.S. Sen. Susan Collins.
Kouzounas, who won a third term as party chair in January of 2021, has not said whether she’ll seek another term as the Party’s leader.