LEWISTON, Maine (AP) — With control of the U.S. House of Representatives still in doubt, Maine Democratic Rep. Jared Golden, a moderate known for defying his party, narrowly led over Republican Austin Theriault on Thursday in a race that was It’s still too early to call two days after voting ended.

The matchup between Golden and Theriault is one of a handful of crucial races that have a chance to swing control of the U.S. House of Representatives during a competitive election year. It was developed in the largest congressional district by area on the East Coast, a largely rural part of Maine where former President donald trump has proven very popular with voters.

As of Thursday afternoon, Golden and Theriault were in a tight race and some of the votes had not yet been counted. Theriault requested a recount Thursday, although final counts were not yet complete.

Golden is a former Marine in his third term representing the 2nd Congressional District, which is typically described as a swing district. The district covers a large portion of Maine that includes a handful of small towns, but is perhaps best known as the home of traditional northern New England industries such as lobster fishing and logging.

During the campaign, Golden touted his ability to work with members of either political party along with his advocacy for the lobster industry, which is the lifeblood of the region’s economy. He declared himself the winner of the race on Wednesday, although The Associated Press has not announced it.

“Anyone who has watched this race knows that this was my toughest choice yet. Across the country, no Democrat has withstood stronger headwinds from senior officials, pundits and organized opposition,” Golden, dressed in a flannel shirt and blue jeans, said at a news conference in Lewiston.

Theriault, who was first elected to the Maine House of Representatives in 2022, spent much of the campaign portraying Golden as too liberal for the district. Although Theriault had Trump’s backing, he also tried to present himself as a potential unifier during a divided time in Washington.

Theriault said Wednesday that he was “well within the margin” where a recount was possible “and every vote should be counted.” On Thursday he formalized that request.

Maine does not have mandatory recounts even in close elections. But the state does allow candidates to request a recount. The state does not require a deposit for a recount if the margin of victory is 1% or less for statewide or multi-county elections.

“We must work together to ensure that the voices of Mainers are heard and that the final result reflects the will of the people,” said Theriault campaign manager Shawn Roderick.

Golden “has confidence and faith in the process of determining the winner and is ready for a recount if necessary,” said Mario Moretto, a spokesman for the congressman.

It was also possible that neither candidate would get 50% of the total vote, and that would require a recount of ranked options. There were no third-party candidates on the ballot, but write-in candidates were still possible and some voters used that option.

Golden was first elected to Congress in 2018, when he needed a recount of ranked-choice votes to defeat Republican incumbent Rep. Bruce Poliquin.

Golden has retained his seat even though Trump dominated the district in the recent presidential election. Maine is one of two states to apportion electoral votes by congressional district (Nebraska is the other) and Trump has won his only electoral vote in New England three times in Maine’s 2nd district.

In the 1st Congressional District, Democratic Rep. Chellie Pingree won her ninth term against Republican challenger Ron Russell and independent Ethan Alcorn.