Rep. Jared Golden won't seek reelection to Congress in major blow to Democrats

Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine) said Wednesday that he will not seek reelection to Congress in 2026, citing "frequent threats" against him and the "grim milestone" of the longest government shutdown in U.S. history.Why it matters: Golden represents the most Republican-leaning district of any House Democrat. His retirement is a major blow to his party's efforts to retake the House in 2026.A marine corps veteran and former state representative, Golden is seen as having a unique ability to win over independent and rural voters.Driving the news: In a Bangor Daily News op-ed, 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.""Behavior that, too often, our political leaders exhibit themselves," he added.Golden pointed to the now record-long government shutdown, which he called a "grime milestone," saying that while he is confident he could win reelection, "I now dread the prospect of winning.""Simply put," he wrote, "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."Zoom in: Golden also cited "recent incidents of political violence" that "have made me reassess the frequent threats against me and my family."He pointed the assassination of Charlie Kirk, the two assassination attempts against President Trump, the firebombing of Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro's home and the murders of two Minnesota lawmakers."Those have made me reconsider the experiences of my own family, including all of us sitting in a hotel room on Thanksgiving last year" after being targeted in a spate bomb threats, Golden continued."As my oldest daughter reaches school age, the threats, the intolerance and hate that often dominate political culture, and my long absences, will be more keenly felt," he wrote.Zoom out: Golden was first elected to Congress in 2018, defeating then-Rep. Bruce Poliquin (R-Maine) in a district Trump had won by 10 percentage points two years earlier.Trump went on to win the district decisively in 2020 and 2024, but Golden hung on despite being a top target of House Republicans each cycle.Golden has distinguished himself as a highly independent voice in the House Democratic caucus, frequently breaking with leadership on key votes and even refusing to commit to voting for Kamala Harris last year.Golden was facing a Democratic primary challenge this year from state auditor Matthew Dunlap and a general election challenge from Republican former Gov. Paul LePage.Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional reporting.

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