AUGUSTA (AP) — Maine’s 1st District U.S. House Republican primary race is still too close to call, but Kevin Raye easily walked off with a win in the 2nd District GOP race.

In southern Maine’s 1st District, unofficial results with 90 percent of precincts reporting showed political newcomer Patrick Calder of Portland and Jon Courtney, a state Senate leader from Springvale, neck-and-neck and the outcome too close to call.

This morning, Courtney was leading by just over 200 votes.

Courtney’s campaign was awaiting tallies from towns it hoped would put Courtney ahead.

Calder, a merchant mariner who has never held office, says he expected to do better than everyone else thought he’d do.

“I always thought it would be closer than other people did,” he said as tallies showed the two contestants swapping razor-thin leads.

The winner will face Democratic U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree, who is completing her second term in Congress and was unopposed in Tuesday’s primary.

In the 2nd District, Raye’s win over Blaine Richardson sets up a rematch of the 2002 race between him and Michael Michaud, the Democrat who won that election and now seeks his sixth congressional term.

Raye said he’s pleased and excited by his win.

“We’re going to be hitting the ground running, taking my positive message to Maine’s 2nd District,” Raye told The Associated Press by phone from his headquarters. He said jobs, the economy and President Barack Obama’s agenda will be big issues in the campaign.

Unofficial results showed Raye, a Perry resident who is completing four terms in the state Senate, beating Richardson, a three-decade Navy veteran and businessman, by a 3- 2 margin.

Raye and Courtney are both well established in the GOP and outspent their lesserknown rivals.

In the 2nd District, Raye cast himself as a leader who can deal successfully with both political parties.

In addition to his eight years in the State House, Raye spent 17 years as a top aide to U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine.

Richardson, who counted on support from the conservative political movement, had relatively little public exposure entering the race. He runs a small construction business.

Michaud, who had a twodecade legislative career, is seeking his sixth consecutive U.S. House term. While in Congress, he has emphasized his support for veterans’ issues and opposed trade policies he believes hurt traditional Maine industries. He was also unopposed Tuesday in his party’s primary.

Asked if a political shift to the right in Maine will hurt Michaud’s chances in November, campaign spokesman Greg Olson said political swings are less important than contact with voters.

“We take every election seriously. I think Mike more than most comes home every weekend and every recess to make sure he has a pulse on the district,” Olson said.