On the heels of a disappointing election Tuesday for Maine Republicans, in which they failed to obtain a majority in the State House of Representatives, Rep. Billy Bob Faulkingham (R-Winter Harbor) successfully defended his position as the House Republican Leader for Maine’s 132nd Legislature.

Faulkingham, who faced competition for the top House GOP spot, emerged from the leadership elections in Augusta Friday morning as the caucus’s choice to continue guiding them through the upcoming term.

State House sources told the Maine Wire that in the running for House Republican Leader was Rep. Mike Soboleski (R-Phillips) and former Assistant Republican House Leader Rep. Amy Arata (R-New Gloucester), while Rep. Katrina Smith (R-Palermo), Rep. David Boyer (R-Poland), and former Republican leader Rep. Ken Fredette (R-Newport) were in the running for assistant leader or minority whip.

The Winter Harbor Republican handily won reelection to his fourth term on Tuesday against Democratic candidate Norman Bamford by a margin of about 20 points.

Faulkingham will be tasked with rallying the caucus strengthening party unity in a state where Republicans saw only modest gains — unofficial results from Decision Desk HQ indicate the 151-member Maine House appears to be headed toward a composition of 72 Republicans, two left-leaning independents, and 76 Democrats.

The vote for House minority whip came down to Rep. Arata and Rep. Smith, with Smith ultimately being the caucus’ choice.

A 72-member Republican House would be the most members the GOP has had in the chamber since 2016. Democrats have controlled both the House and Senate since 2018, the same year Gov. Janet Mills (D) was elected to her first term.

Although coming away from the 2024 election without a majority in the House or the Senate, Republicans did make a few notable pickups of seats in areas they have not controlled in several years.

Republican Arthur Mingo was able to win a longtime Democrat-held seat in House District 9, representing Calais — the first time the GOP will control the seat in eight years.

Similarly, the GOP picked up a seat in House District 13, representing Ellsworth. After winning the election for the district on Tuesday, Russell White will be the first Republican to represent Ellsworth in the State House in 16 years.

On the Senate side, Aroostook County Republican Sue Bernard was able to take the Senate District 1 seat left vacant by outgoing Senate President Troy Jackson (D-Allagash).

Republican State Rep. and former State Senator Scott Cyrway will be reentering the Maine Senate for Kennebec County’s District 16 — representing an area that includes 3,000 more registered Democrats than Republicans and Colby College.

Although it is likely that State Rep. Austin Theriault (R-Fort Kent) will lose the race in Maine’s 2nd Congressional District to incumbent Democratic Congressman Jared Golden, he outperformed every CD-2 Republican on Tuesday going back to 2014.