Meet Austin Theriault, the former NASCAR driver hoping to win Maine's CD2
Theriault currently serves as a state representative for Fort Kent, but he is best known for his career as a NASCAR driver
Theriault currently serves as a state representative for Fort Kent, but he is best known for his career as a NASCAR driver
Theriault currently serves as a state representative for Fort Kent, but he is best known for his career as a NASCAR driver
Republican Austin Theriault is running for Congress, hoping to represent Maine's Second Congressional District.
He is running against Michael Soboleski in the June 11 primary with the winner facing incumbent Rep. Jared Golden.
"I see the Second District is falling farther and farther behind the rest of the state," Theriault said. "Even though I'm proud, we're really proud of our community, we're seeing around us what's going on, where people are struggling."
Theriault currently serves as a state representative for Fort Kent, but he is best known for his career as a NASCAR driver.
“I won races and championships and was able to win at Daytona," he said. "But what people forget is being a successful driver, you also really have to know how to run a successful business.”
Theriault says his business experience, running his racing team and managing younger drivers, will help him serve the people of Maine.
"in this day and age I believe that folks, when they go to the ballot box, are looking for people that have business experience, you know, similar to President Trump,” he said.
Theriault has earned an endorsement from the former president, something he has touted throughout his campaign.
"He looked at and said, I think he's a good fit for the Second District," Theriault said, explaining why he believes Trump chose him over Soboleski. "He's somebody that can go to Congress and get stuff done.”
If elected, Theriault hopes to strengthen the border and reform the immigration system.
“I know that we live thousands of miles away from the southern border, but it's a huge issue because of the drugs coming across and the human trafficking."
Theriault also hopes to reduce government spending and inflation, to ease the burden on families and businesses.
“They're dealing with record inflation, and it's being passed on to the customer."
He hopes to spur economic development in rural parts of the state by focusing on Maine's natural resources.
“We have great places for people to come in and visit, but we also have natural resources in the form of farming, our lobster industry, the logging industry," he said. "I don't think we've exhausted the potential of those industries.”
Following the Lewiston mass shooting, Democratic Rep. Jared Golden reversed his stance on an assault weapons ban.
Theriault disagrees with Golden, saying the focus should be on mental health and addressing the lack of accessible treatment.
“If we want to address those issues, I'm all for that," he said. "As far as taking guns out of the hands of law-abiding Mainers, I have a big problem with that. I'm going to defend the Second Amendment, but I want to make sure that we can get these people that are struggling and sometimes crying out for help."
Theriault says he is a conservative, but he will work to make a difference for everyone.
“At the end of the day, we have people from different backgrounds around the state that are struggling, and I can be a fighter for them."