State Rep. Tiffany Roberts (D-South Berwick) has formally filed paperwork to run for Maine’s First Congressional District, setting up a Democratic primary challenge to U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree in 2026.
Roberts, now serving her fourth term in the Maine House, submitted her campaign-finance filing Tuesday ahead of a planned campaign launch in her hometown. She had announced the formation of an exploratory committee in September to determine whether Democratic voters were open to “a different voice in Congress.”
U.S. Rep. Pingree has held the seat since 2009 and has not previously faced a primary challenge while in office. The congresswoman has increased her visibility in recent months in a marked departure from her relatively low profile over the last couple terms.
In an interview, Roberts described herself as more of a centrist who is willing to work across the aisle.
“I do say I bring a different voice,” Roberts said. “And I just think that the semi-open primary will, in theory, play a part in that to see whether that is something that folks are looking for . . . It’s just a matter of different approaches.”
The Maine Wire reached out to Roberts for a comment, but did not hear back prior to publication.
With Roberts’ filing, the 2026 Democratic primary for the district is now underway with just 362 days until the Mid-Term Election.
Also facing a primary challenge in Maine’s Second Congressional District, U.S. Rep. Jared Golden (D-ME) made the surprise announcement announcement Wednesday afternoon that he would not be seeking a fifth term next year.
