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riversedge

(78,834 posts)
Wed Nov 5, 2025, 04:02 PM Nov 5

Jared Golden won't seek reelection in blow to House Democrats

Source: axios

36 mins ago -


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.

Read more: https://www.axios.com/2025/11/05/jared-golden-retiring-2026-house-democrats-maine









Rep. Jared Golden at the US Capitol on July 23, 2024. Photo: Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images









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Jared Golden won't seek reelection in blow to House Democrats (Original Post) riversedge Nov 5 OP
Poppycock. NoRethugFriends Nov 5 #1
Which is poppycock, his reason for retirement yorkster Nov 5 #3
That it's a blow to house Democrats NoRethugFriends Nov 5 #11
Got it. Matt Dunlap (D) Maine State Auditor yorkster Nov 5 #15
LePage certainly is a POS NoRethugFriends Nov 5 #17
Le Page. That fucking guy. chelsea0011 Nov 6 #26
He has won multiple times in a district Trump won. nycbos Nov 5 #7
He wouldn't have won his primary. gab13by13 Nov 6 #27
They spelled dweller Nov 5 #2
Bugger Bok_Tukalo Nov 5 #4
Headline drama queens strike again NotHardly Nov 5 #5
Not a blow, a boon Fiendish Thingy Nov 5 #6
Yes Gov Janet mills Does Count.. Very Much. Cha Nov 5 #9
Damn right she does NoRethugFriends Nov 5 #12
Thank you NRF... Cha Nov 5 #14
She is pro-filibuster, and will be 79, which are deal breakers for me Fiendish Thingy Nov 5 #19
GREAT!! Better headline: "Republican won't seek reelection..."? Grins Nov 5 #8
Weird that he's resigning Cha Nov 5 #13
Fear of losing the primary. gab13by13 Nov 6 #28
"Blow Democrats???" orangecrush Nov 5 #10
The pro-life guy who supported Trump's tarrifs isn't running again? progressoid Nov 5 #16
Please try to use anti-choice rather than pro-life. Much more accurate. NoRethugFriends Nov 5 #18
Right progressoid Nov 5 #20
Agree csusan Nov 5 #21
Even better: forced birthers. I find that is a real hammer to go after the fuckers with. Celerity Nov 8 #35
Can the state redistrict? rpannier Nov 5 #22
Interesting question moose65 Nov 6 #25
I was just redistricted into the second last year. Easterncedar Nov 6 #30
Beautiful country up there moose65 Nov 6 #33
I love winter best Easterncedar Nov 6 #34
My opinion is that popsdenver Nov 5 #23
Any dem who can't be a strong voice is better gone Easterncedar Nov 6 #31
Now??!! In the midst of sweeping changes? Smells like sabotage. live love laugh Nov 6 #24
Ineffectual, increasingly unpopular and frustrated Easterncedar Nov 6 #29
My guess is he feels like if he wants out right now is his best time to allow his seat to shift over to another Democrat oldmanlynn Nov 6 #32

NoRethugFriends

(3,604 posts)
1. Poppycock.
Wed Nov 5, 2025, 04:05 PM
Nov 5

Good chance of winning that district with a real Democrat if it's the blue wave we are hoping for next year.

yorkster

(3,567 posts)
3. Which is poppycock, his reason for retirement
Wed Nov 5, 2025, 04:26 PM
Nov 5

or the hope for a blue wave?

(I know that district will be tough ..)





yorkster

(3,567 posts)
15. Got it. Matt Dunlap (D) Maine State Auditor
Wed Nov 5, 2025, 05:34 PM
Nov 5

and former Secretary of State announced in October that he was challenging Jared Golden for the nomination. Also Rep. creep and former Gov. Paul LePage has said he's running.
Hopefully Dunlap has a chance. I thought Maine had turned LePage, but he's always waiting in the wings.

chelsea0011

(10,188 posts)
26. Le Page. That fucking guy.
Thu Nov 6, 2025, 07:06 AM
Nov 6

He doesn’t even live in ME anymore. He comes up from FL to keep running in elections. Northern Maine is his base. His popularity is waning a bit up here but he will be tough to beat in that district.

nycbos

(6,654 posts)
7. He has won multiple times in a district Trump won.
Wed Nov 5, 2025, 04:53 PM
Nov 5

He is not perfect but better than a Republican.

gab13by13

(30,676 posts)
27. He wouldn't have won his primary.
Thu Nov 6, 2025, 07:49 AM
Nov 6

How many times has he voted with Magats?

Back in March he was the only House Democrat to vote for the CR.

Bok_Tukalo

(4,510 posts)
4. Bugger
Wed Nov 5, 2025, 04:31 PM
Nov 5

I move to New England from Texas and I’m still going to end up with some dipshit Republican as a representative.

NotHardly

(2,255 posts)
5. Headline drama queens strike again
Wed Nov 5, 2025, 04:46 PM
Nov 5
dealt a blow... I mean, could we just go back to normal headlines instead of High School pearl clutching language all the f*cking time? Is it really that hard to write a sentence without bombastic language?

Fiendish Thingy

(21,532 posts)
6. Not a blow, a boon
Wed Nov 5, 2025, 04:52 PM
Nov 5

Golden was the guy who said he’d be “OK” with a second Trump term, just a couple of weeks before the 2024 election.

Golden was part of the squad that sabotaged Biden’s original BBB.

Now let’s find a good progressive candidate for Golden’s seat, as well as one to beat Susan Collins (no, Mills does not count)

Fiendish Thingy

(21,532 posts)
19. She is pro-filibuster, and will be 79, which are deal breakers for me
Wed Nov 5, 2025, 06:36 PM
Nov 5

Surely we can do better- the primary is eight months away, and the filing deadline is six months away.

There is absolutely no urgency to determine that Mills is the best choice this far out.

In order to restore democracy and repair the destruction of the Trump era, and to pass laws protecting rights, and improving the lives of Americans, without those laws getting blocked or overturned, the court must be expanded, and the filibuster must be killed to do so.

We cannot afford to have a business-as-usual congress and a gridlock-as-usual senate.

The filibuster must die.

Grins

(9,100 posts)
8. GREAT!! Better headline: "Republican won't seek reelection..."?
Wed Nov 5, 2025, 05:00 PM
Nov 5

He ran as a Democrat because that’s the only way he could get on the ballot 8 years ago. But he was never a true Democrat.

People forget that for YEARS he was on the staff of - SUSAN COLLINS.

He was being challenged by a progressive. Help that guy!

NoRethugFriends

(3,604 posts)
18. Please try to use anti-choice rather than pro-life. Much more accurate.
Wed Nov 5, 2025, 05:48 PM
Nov 5

The antis came up with that term to try to make them sound less obnoxious.

progressoid

(52,322 posts)
20. Right
Wed Nov 5, 2025, 07:00 PM
Nov 5

I should have used quotes to express my disdain for the term "pro-life".

Trying to express sarcasm after two glasses of wine isn't a good idea.



rpannier

(24,814 posts)
22. Can the state redistrict?
Wed Nov 5, 2025, 09:10 PM
Nov 5

And would it be effective?
In a roughly +5 state (I don't know what Maine is in registration numbers) That would mean it would be roughly +2-3 (within margin of turnout)
In a +7, I'd do that at +3, +4
There may also be the issue with Nebraska. My understanding is, what prevents Nebraska from changing their rules is Maine

moose65

(3,425 posts)
25. Interesting question
Thu Nov 6, 2025, 06:49 AM
Nov 6

Maine’s 2nd district is huge, and contains a lot of rural area.

Population growth in Maine happens primarily in their 1st District, along the coast in the southern part of the state, and along the border with New Hampshire in the SW corner of the state. As that population grows, more of the area in the southern part of the state gets pushed into the 2nd district.

It might be possible to re-configure both districts, but district 2 is already swingy, and a Dem can already win there.

Easterncedar

(5,278 posts)
30. I was just redistricted into the second last year.
Thu Nov 6, 2025, 08:35 AM
Nov 6

It’s already an interesting mix. I don’t think changing again would help. We need to run a campaign that gets the rural voters to see where the government helps them. The recent hospital closures are hurting them hard. Energy costs are skyrocketing. Governor Mills’ provision of free community college was a great program, and could be extended.

We have the issues, we can run on them.

moose65

(3,425 posts)
33. Beautiful country up there
Thu Nov 6, 2025, 03:38 PM
Nov 6

I say "up there" since I'm in NC!

I've been to Maine three times. Once in the summer and twice in the fall.

popsdenver

(1,017 posts)
23. My opinion is that
Wed Nov 5, 2025, 09:46 PM
Nov 5

ANY Dem that bails out of the U.S. House or U.S. Senate, especially considering, that it is at this point in time, is a Chicken Shit......and that includes our very own Senator from Colorado.........

As long as things go with the flow, status quo, etc they are all in for their powerful/status position. At the most crucial time in our countries history, when they chose to run rather than stay and fight......they lose all respect from me..........Our Senator from Colorado is running for Colorado Governor in the next election, and sure won't be getting my vote.....There HAVE to be better Dems running for Governor.

In past years, I have heard nothing much out of our two U.S. Senators, or our U.S. House member from Denver.....

Lincoln, years ago, said: " A Statesman is interested in the next generations........ a politician only in the next election..."

I personally also feel our past two term governor in Colorado was, in reality, a DINO.........

My opinions....

Easterncedar

(5,278 posts)
31. Any dem who can't be a strong voice is better gone
Thu Nov 6, 2025, 08:37 AM
Nov 6

Golden was no fighter. I am glad he’s going.

Easterncedar

(5,278 posts)
29. Ineffectual, increasingly unpopular and frustrated
Thu Nov 6, 2025, 08:29 AM
Nov 6

I am no fan, bu give him credit, he could have switched parties instead of working the edges.

He saved us from that abominable Poliquin, and it was close. That is worth remembering.

Now we need a progressive leader. Dunlap is popular in the state house, but I don’t see him capturing the public attention. Maybe the general revulsion against the former Governor will help.

oldmanlynn

(753 posts)
32. My guess is he feels like if he wants out right now is his best time to allow his seat to shift over to another Democrat
Thu Nov 6, 2025, 09:15 AM
Nov 6
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