AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) _ Tea-party favorite Bruce Poliquin has won the Republican primary for the 2nd Congressional District seat and will face Democrat Emily Cain in November.
Poliquin is a Harvard-educated businessman. He was beating establishment Republican Kevin Raye 55 percent to 45 percent Tuesday with 258 of 422 precincts reporting in unofficial returns.
Throughout the campaign, Poliquin framed Raye as a ``liberal'' and ``career politician'' who wouldn't stand up for conservative principles in Washington. Poliquin attacked his opponent for supporting a measure to study a universal health care model and not joining him in signing a no-tax pledge.
Raye has said Poliquin's unbending partisan approach wouldn't be effective in Washington and that compromise is possible without losing ground on GOP values.
The seat became open when U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud decided to run for governor.