Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump appeared headed to a big victory early Wednesday morning in the 2nd Congressional District of Maine. The GOP nominee led all but one county at 1:00 a.m. Wednesday with 74 percent of the precincts reporting statewide.

Trump would be the first candidate to force a split in the state’s electoral vote since the state changed its system following the 1968 election. The state awards two votes to the statewide victor and one each to the winner of each congressional district.

Close

By taking that district, a largely rural area dotted with closed mills and filled with anxious working-class voters, Trump gets one extra vote to work with as he tries to put together a winning map.

Trump also put up the biggest fight statewide of a Republican presidential candidate in more than a generation. Though, he fell short, he was performing well in the 2nd District. The district’s Republican, Rep. Bruce Pollquin, also appeared to be headed to victory Tuesday night.

GOP officials in Maine, encouraged by polls showing Trump with a lead in the district earlier in the campaign, had hoped Trump wold break through. Trump has visited the state during the campaign and had the strong support of the state’s Republican governor, Paul LePage.