Portland, Maine — Maine Democratic Rep. Jared Golden, who represents One of the most competitive U.S. House districts in the country said Wednesday that it will not seek re-election.
Golden was first elected to Congress in 2018 and has carved out a space as a Democrat willing to work with President Donald Trump’s administration. he Announce His decision not to seek another term came in an opinion piece published Wednesday in his home state’s Bangor Daily News.
Golden wrote that he was “tired of the increasing incivility and apparent ugliness now common among some elements of our American society.” He also said he was motivated to step down by the number of incidents of political violence in the country, including those targeting Trump and Democratic Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro.
Golden, a Marine Corps veteran, said he has also received threats against himself and his family.
“It made me reconsider my family’s experiences, including all of us sitting in a hotel room on Thanksgiving last year after another threat against our home. There have been enough of those over the years to hold my attention,” Golden wrote.
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Golden is a “good man and patriot” and will be missed. He expected the Democrats to hold the seat and win the majority in the House of Representatives.
Golden’s decision to step down raises the possibility of a jockeying between longtime political rivals in the state to fill one of the most closely watched House districts in the country. Leading republican The candidate is former Gov. Paul LePage, who led the state from 2011 to 2019. Former Democratic Secretary of State Matt Dunlap Fired A primary challenge against Golden last month is expected to become the leading Democrat.
LePage and Dunlap served at the same time and sometimes sparred over issues such as election integrity and the wording of ballot questions.
Brent Littlefield, LePage’s spokesman, attributed Golden’s departure to poor numbers in recent opinion polls.
“The LePage team is committed to helping achieve stronger representation,” Littlefield said in a social media post.
Dunlap thanked Golden for his service in a statement.
“In the coming days and months, I intend to campaign aggressively for Congress in Maine’s 2nd Congressional District – and I intend to win,” Dunlap said.
Golden was first elected to Congress using the state’s by-choice voting system. He was re-elected by larger margins in 2020 and 2022, but had to overcome a tough challenge from Republican Austin Theriault in 2024. Double-edged Theriault after a recount of ranked votes.
Golden represents the 2nd Congressional District, which is largely rural and geographically much larger than the 1st Congressional District centered around Portland. The Golden District is also politically mixed, and Trump has received support there in three consecutive presidential elections.
Golden prioritized bipartisanship and protecting traditional industries such as lobster fishing during his time in Congress. He also voted against one of the articles isolation Against Trump in 2019 in a move that violated party doctrine.