U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree was leading Republican challenger Jay Allen by about 10 percentage points in early election results Tuesday night.

Pingree led Allen by a margin of 55 percent to 45 percent with 32 of 156 precincts in the 1st Congressional District reporting around 10:15 p.m.

Pingree, 65, a Democrat from North Haven, is widely viewed as a favorite in the race and promised to continue working on issues such as local agriculture, climate change and healthcare if re-elected. She is seeking a seventh term in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Allen, 59, a political newcomer and physician from Waldoboro, ran a conservative campaign focused on issues such as lower taxes, health care, the Second Amendment and constitutional rights. A supporter of President Trump, Allen also voiced opposition to mandatory face masks and criticized Democratic Gov. Janet Mills’ response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Maine’s 1st Congressional District has been a Democratic stronghold for decades, with a Republican only holding the seat for two of the last 34 years. In 2018 Pingree was re-elected with 57 percent of the vote in a three-way race.

The candidates raised about $500,000 between them in the race, with Pingree pulling in about $430,000 compared to Allen’s $78,000. There was no outside spending, according to campaign finance reports.

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