Democratic Rep. Jared Golden of Maine said that he will not seek reelection in 2026, dealing a blow to his party a day after it was buoyed by coast-to-coast wins in state elections and giving Republicans a chance to pick up the seat in crucial midterms.
In announcing the end of his campaign, Mr. Golden cited threats against him and his family and his dismay with “how broken Congress has become.”
He penned an op-ed in the Bangor Daily News, writing that “after 11 years as a legislator, I have grown tired of the increasing incivility and plain nastiness that are now common from some elements of our American community — behavior that, too often, our political leaders exhibit themselves.”
Mr. Golden represents the most Republican-leaning district of any House Democrat, and his departure blows a hole in the party’s efforts to gain control of the House in the 2026 midterms. The Maine district is a target for Republicans as they try to expand their narrow majority amid several redistricting efforts in blue and red states.
He was facing a challenge from former Maine GOP Gov. Paul LePage, and would have run against state Auditor Matt Dunlap in the 2026 Democratic primary.
The National Republican Congressional Committee said Mr. Golden would not have won his seat, but instead predicted it would flip red.
“Serial flip-flopper Jared Golden’s exit from Congress says it all: He’s turned his back on Mainers for years and now his chickens are coming home to roost,” NRCC Spokesperson Maureen O’Toole said.
In his op-ed, he rebuked Democrats for the government shutdown and allowing the “most extreme, pugilistic elements of our party to call the shots.”
Mr. Golden was the only House Democrat to vote in favor of Republican measures in both March and September to avert a government shutdown.
He has represented the state’s 2nd Congressional District since 2019, while President Trump won the district in 2020 and 2024.
“I am forever grateful for the honor of serving my constituents in Congress, and proud of what I’ve accomplished for Maine,” Mr. Golden said. “But recently, it became clear that now is the right time to step away from elected office.”
Recent political violence — such as the assassination attempts against President Trump and the firebombing of Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s home — made him reconsider running again, he said. Last Thanksgiving, Mr. Golden received a bomb threat against his home, which was just one of many threats, he said.
But he said his decision was also motivated by the “unnecessary, harmful shutdown and the nonstop, hyperbolic accusations and recriminations by both sides.”
While asserting he would win if he continued his campaign, Mr. Golden said that he now dreaded the prospect of winning.
“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,” he wrote.
He issued a warning to both parties about a swath of issues: polarization, hyperpartisan politics, social media fueling division and gerrymandering.
