Democratic Rep. Jared Golden of Maine introduced Wednesday that he wouldn’t search reelection in 2026, placing strain on his get together to carry one of many hardest seats in the nation for them subsequent 12 months.
“I don’t fear losing. What has become apparent to me is that I now dread the prospect of winning,” Golden wrote in The Bangor Daily News. “Simply put, what I could accomplish in this increasingly unproductive Congress pales in comparison to what I could do in that time as a husband, a father and a son.”
Golden’s determination robs Democrats of the benefit of incumbency in one of many nation’s high battleground districts, which Golden gained by lower than 1 level final 12 months whereas Trump carried it by roughly 10 factors.
The Marine veteran, who was first elected to Congress in 2018, has defended Maine’s sprawling, rural 2nd District as President Donald Trump has achieved effectively there. But at the same time as Golden’s been key to bolstering numbers in the House Democratic Caucus, he’s lengthy bucked get together management in Washington, DC.
Golden on Wednesday pointed to the record-breaking size of the federal government shutdown, writing that “the nonstop, hyperbolic accusations and recriminations by both sides reveal just how broken Congress has become.” His simmering frustration with get together politics in Washington was obvious final month when he castigated members of his personal get together over the shutdown, which he wrote was “driven by demands, from some in the Democrats’ base and far-left groups, for the party to visibly ‘fight’ Donald Trump.”
Amid the backbiting, Golden drew a main problem from Maine state Auditor Matthew Dunlap, who criticized the reasonable congressman for his collection of high-profile breaks with Democrats since coming into Congress in 2019.
In saying his retirement from Congress, Golden expressed skepticism about his challengers together with Dunlap and former Republican Gov. Paul LePage.
“My sincere hope is that by creating an open seat, my departure makes space for a competitive primary for both Democrats and Republicans, as Paul LePage and Matt Dunlap are a far cry from being standard bearers of the generations that will inherit the legacy of today’s Congress,” Golden mentioned.
The four-term congressman and father of younger kids additionally invoked current high-profile episodes of political violence and threats in opposition to his family in explaining his determination — together with, he wrote, one which noticed his household “sitting in a hotel room on Thanksgiving last year after yet another threat against our home.”
Golden insisted the electoral problem of defending his seat wasn’t a part of his calculus.
“I know that if I were to continue my campaign, I would prevail. My record of winning the most challenging district held by any Democrat — of outperforming the top and bottom of the ticket four times — speaks for itself,” he mentioned.
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairwoman Suzan DelBene praised Golden whereas pointing to Tuesday evening’s election outcomes as a hopeful signal for the get together in the 2026 midterms.
“His efforts to revitalize the Blue Dog Coalition have helped to grow our party, and his willingness to cross the aisle and find bipartisan solutions was deservedly rewarded time and time again by his constituents who continued to re-elect him despite bruising campaigns,” the Washington state Democrat mentioned in a assertion.
“Last night’s election results make clear that voters are ready to elect a Democratic majority that keeps its promise to lower costs and fight for everyday people,” she added, committing “everything necessary” to maintain Maine’s 2nd District blue.
But Golden on Wednesday supplied a warning to members of his get together, whom he cautioned are “allowing the most extreme, pugilistic elements of our party to call the shots.”
“This year, reeling from the losses of the last election, too many Democrats have given into demands that we use the same no-holds barred, obstructionary tactics as the GOP,” he mentioned.