PORTLAND, Maine (AP) Maine Democratic Rep. Jared Golden, who represents one of the most competitive U.S. House districts in the country, said Wednesday he will not seek reelection.
Golden was first elected to Congress in 2018 and has carved out a space as a Democrat who is willing to work with President Donald Trump’s administration. He announced his decision not to seek a new term in an opinion piece published Wednesday in the Bangor Daily News in his home state.
Golden wrote that he has “grown tired of the increasing incivility and plain nastiness that are now common from some elements of our American community.” He also said he was motivated to step down by the number of incidents of political violence in the country, including those against Trump and Democratic Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro.
Golden, a Marine veteran, said he has also received threats against himself and his family.
“These have made me reconsider the experiences of my own family, including all of us sitting in a hotel room on Thanksgiving last year after yet another threat against our home. There have been enough of those over the years to demand my attention,” Golden wrote.
Democratic House leader Hakeem Jeffries said Golden “is a good man, a patriot” and will be missed. He predicted Democrats would hold the seat and win the House majority.
Golden’s decision to step down sets up a possible matchup between old political rivals in the state to fill one of the most watched House districts in the country. The leading Republican candidate is former Gov. Paul LePage, who led the state from 2011 to 2019. Former Democratic Secretary of State Matt Dunlap launched a primary challenge against Golden last month and is poised to become the leading Democratic contender.
LePage and Dunlap served at the same time and sparred occasionally over issues such as election integrity and the wording of ballot questions.
LePage said in a statement that the race “has always been about fighting for rural Maine.” Brent Littlefield, a spokesperson for LePage, attributed Golden’s departure to weak numbers in recent opinion polls.
“I am running for Congress to make sure that working Maine families have a voice in Washington, D.C. This fight is just beginning,” LePage said.
Dunlap thanked Golden for his service in a statement.
“In the days and months ahead, I intend to vigorously campaign for Congress in Maine’s second congressional district — and I intend to win,” Dunlap said.
Golden was first elected to Congress using the state’s ranked choice voting system. He was reelected by wider margins in 2020 and 2022, but had to beat back a tough challenge from Republican Austin Theriault in 2024. Golden edged Theriault after a ranked recount.
Golden represents the 2nd Congressional District, which is largely rural and geographically much larger than the 1st Congressional District, which is based around Portland. Golden’s district is also politically mixed, and Trump has won support there in three consecutive presidential elections.
Golden has prioritized bipartisanship and the protection of traditional industries such as lobster fishing during his time in Congress. He also voted against one of the articles of impeachment against Trump in 2019 in a move that bucked party orthodoxy.
