Speaker Johnson dismisses skeptics as he campaigns for House GOP in Maine battleground

BANGOR, Maine (AP) — Speaker Mike Johnson made a campaign swing Wednesday through Maine's picturesque second congressional district, convinced Republicans will defy history and maintain their House majority, as he worked to boost GOP candidate Paul LePage in what is one of the party's best hopes to flip a Democratic-held seat.

The speaker told a small crowd at the Sea Dog Brewing Co. that he disagrees with the polling and the growing sense that Republicans are heading toward defeat on Nov. 3 . Instead, he said he believes that the party in power will maintain their narrow grip on the House — thanks in part to candidates like LePage, the two-term former governor.

“I'm telling you, we’re going to surprise them,” Johnson told the few dozens gathered for lunches of burger, fish and chips and pot pies at the Bangor eatery.

Johnson has been crisscrossing the country in a campaign blitz that will total more than 20 states and 40 districts in October, in a final sprint ahead of the elections that will determine control of Congress for the remainder of President Donald Trump’s term in the White House.

Republicans have increasingly been forced to play defense in the final weeks, trying to shore up their candidates in GOP strongholds nationwide as voters reel from high gas prices, Trump’s tariffs policies and the war against Iran. Democrats are reaching deep into districts where Trump has had support trying and preparing a first 100-days agenda if they win back control.

Johnson said what he’s seeing on the campaign trail tells a different story — of crowds turning out to support the party's candidates, including earlier this week in southern Texas, a key battleground region.

“Now we have to defy history to do this,” Johnson said, noting that rarely does the president’s party win in midterm elections.

But he said, echoing Le Page’s own message to the room, “voter turnout is critical.”

While much of the attention in Maine has been on the state's volatile Senate race between incumbent GOP Sen. Susan Collins and Democrat Troy Jackson, the House race for the open seat held by retiring Democratic Rep. Jared Golden is another key battleground.

LePage and Democratic state auditor Matt Dunlap are vying for the sprawling district that encompasses much of the rural northern part of the state. The two are set to debate this week.

LePage acknowledged that getting out the vote is what will make the difference.

The district is one Trump carried in the past, but that Golden has held as a leader of the conservative Blue Dog Coalition, a caucus of more centrist Democrats. The retiring congressman has at times bucked House Democratic leadership in voting with Republicans.

It's also one of the few remaining Trump-won districts represented by a Democrat, which makes it a prime opportunity for Republicans as they work to backfill losses elsewhere and keep their majority.

This week, the main House Republican super PAC aligned with Johnson, the Congressional Leadership Fund, canceled spending in four House races, including Iowa and New Jersey, and increased its investment in others from Texas to Pennsylvania.

Democrats, however, are confident they will seize control, as they begin planning an ambitious agenda focused on affordability issues and anti-corruption investigations of Trump and his administration.