AUGUSTA, Maine — Republican former Gov. Paul LePage has won Maine's 2nd Congressional District after the Secretary of State's elections division in Augusta completed a ranked-choice tabulation Thursday, the Bangor Daily News reported.

LePage beat Democrat Matt Dunlap, the state auditor, finishing with 50.81% of the vote to Dunlap's 49.18% once voters' second choices were counted, WMTW reported. With blank ballots set aside, LePage already held a slim majority of 50.63% before those choices were added, the station said.

The result moves to Republicans the seat held by U.S. Rep. Jared Golden, a centrist Democrat who has represented the district since 2019 and chose not to seek reelection, according to WMTW and the Bangor Daily News. LePage will be the only Republican in New England's congressional delegation, Maine Public reported. The Bangor Daily News noted that President Donald Trump carried the district three times.

The only ballots left to reassign in the count were 1,243 cast for write-in candidates, the newspaper reported. Of those, 254 ranked Dunlap next and 180 ranked LePage, while most of the rest listed no other choice. The paper said the final margin is too wide to qualify for a recount paid for by the state.

Dunlap had already conceded, but Secretary of State Shenna Bellows said the tabulation still had to be finished because state law requires it for a certified election, WMTW reported.

LePage declared victory Nov. 4 at a news conference in Bangor, Maine Public and the Bangor Daily News reported. He spent the week in Washington attending orientation for incoming House members, according to WMTW. Brent Littlefield, a senior adviser to LePage, said in a statement Thursday that the count confirmed an outcome that was never in doubt and that LePage has been meeting with national leaders, the Bangor Daily News reported.

The district covers 10 entire counties plus 18 towns in Kennebec County, including Augusta, WMTW reported.

Dunlap conceded the race Nov. 5 in a statement from his campaign, saying he did not believe a ranked-choice count would change the outcome, The Signal reported at the time. Bellows' office had said earlier that day that neither candidate won more than 50% of the ballots cast, sending the contest to a tabulation.

LePage's victory declaration in Bangor came before news organizations had called the race, The Signal reported Nov. 4.

Earlier coverage: Dunlap concedes Maine's 2nd District race to LePage ahead of ranked-choice count; LePage declares victory in Maine's 2nd District race