Maine Democrat to leave Congress, citing ‘plain nastiness’ in US politics
Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine, will not seek reelection in 2026, citing rising threats, political violence and what he calls growing “incivility and plain nastiness” in U.S. politics. Golden, who announced his decision in a Bangor Daily News op-ed, represents the most pro-Trump congressional district in the country held by a Democrat, according to The Washington Post.
Golden has repeatedly won in the rural battleground that Trump carried in 2016, 2020 and 2024, making his departure a key test of whether Democrats can hold crossover territory. The Cook Political Report had rated the seat a toss-up in 2026, but Golden’s retirement creates an open seat that both parties expect to fight for.
What Golden says about politics and safety
In his op-ed, Golden wrote that after 11 years in elected office, he has grown tired of the “increasing incivility and plain nastiness” in politics and of behavior that political leaders too often model.
He cited frequent threats against him and his family, including a bomb threat that forced them into a hotel over Thanksgiving. He also noted recent high-profile attacks and alleged plots against public figures as factors in reassessing whether remaining in Congress is worth the toll.
Golden says he does not fear losing but now “dread[s] the prospect of winning.” He argued he can do more as a husband, father and son than in what he calls an increasingly unproductive Congress.
How his record and rhetoric shaped the decision
Golden emphasized that he believes he would have won again and pointed to a record of outperforming his party in four election cycles in a difficult district. He stressed his support for term limits and framed his exit as clearing the way for “a competitive primary” in both parties.
Golden warned that Democrats risk mirroring Republicans by empowering “extreme, pugilistic elements,” citing the government shutdown fight. He also criticized polarization, gerrymandering and social media for rewarding hyperpartisanship.
What parties and allies are saying
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., called Golden a “patriot” who served Maine and the country well, The Post reported. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee praised his work and wished him well, according to Fox News.
In a statement that seemed to illustrate Golden’s point about incivility, the National Republican Congressional Committee argued his retirement shows the seat is poised to flip and vowed to capture it in 2026.
“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,” the committee said. “He, nor any other Democrat, has a path to victory in ME-02, and Republicans will flip this seat red in 2026.”
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Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
