Free Republic

Maine Rep. Jared Golden, the only Democrat in the House to vote for the Republican-led government funding bill, drew a primary challenger Monday who accused him of consistently siding with the GOP over his own party. State Auditor Matthew Dunlap’s bid sets the stage for a high-profile showdown in a district Democrats will likely need to hold to regain control of the US House. Golden represents one of the country’s most competitive districts, winning his 2024 race by less than a percentage point while President Donald Trump carried it by roughly 10 points. Dunlap told CNN ahead of his announcement...

Rep. Jared Golden (D-ME) is blaming leftist groups and his own party for the ongoing government shutdown. In a social media post on Wednesday, Golden wrote, “This government shutdown is the result of hardball politics driven by the demands far-left groups are making for Democratic Party leaders to put on a show of their opposition to President Trump.” He added the shutdown is “hurting Americans and our economy, and the irony is it has only handed more power to the president.” Golden continued: This fight is ostensibly about health care, so let me be clear: I opposed the GOP’s Medicaid...

This morning the House passed a clean CR designed to fund the government through November, thereby avoiding the possibility of a shutdown at the end of this month. Democrats how vowed not to support it in the Senate.The vote was 217-212, with one Democrat, Rep. Jared Golden of Maine, joining Republicans in voting yes. Two Republicans — conservative Reps. Tim Burchett of Tennessee and Victoria Spartz of Indiana — and all other Democrats voted against the bill.The short-term funding bill, known as a continuing resolution or CR, now heads to the Senate, where Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and other...

The University of Virginia’s Center for Politics shifted their rating of the race for incumbent [Democrat] Maine Rep. Jared Golden’s Congressional District from “leans [Democrat]” to “toss-up” on Tuesday.By presidential partisanship, Maine’s 2nd Congressional District is the most Republican district currently held by a Democrat, according to the Center for Politics’ analysis. The congressional race’s move to the “toss-up” column after Golden announced on May 20 that he is seeking reelection in 2026 instead of making a bid for governor or Senate.President Donald Trump won the seat by 9 percentage points in the 2024 presidential election — marking his largest...

A Republican ex-Nascar driver has passed an incumbent Democrat Congressman in the final turn before Election Day. Austin Theriault has surpassed incumbent Democrat Rep. Jared Golden (D-ME) in the race for Maine’s Second Congressional District, a poll from Axis Research found. The republican state lawmaker now holds a 2-point advantage over Golden with 47 percent to the Democrats’ 45 percent. Golden had a 10-point lead in the same poll in July, but Theriault has climbed as his name ID increased, the poll found.

ARepublican lawmaker announced he is retiring from politics due to a candidate endorsed by former President Donald Trump's victory in a Congressional primary election. Trump-backed candidate Austin Theriault, a former NASCAR driver and state representative, defeated State Representative Michael Soboleski in the primary for Maine's 2nd Congressional District on Tuesday. He will face off against Democratic Congressman Jared Golden, a top GOP target in the November elections in what could be one of the most competitive House races of the election cycle. State Representative John Andrews, who was a supporter and campaign manager for Soboleski, wrote in a Facebook post...

A Republican state lawmaker from Fort Kent has spoken with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy about a 2024 run against U.S. Rep. Jared Golden of Maine’s 2nd District and is expected to announce his campaign soon.

Former national security adviser John Bolton and his newfound opposition to President Trump have become a campaign issue in the Republican primary in Maine’s Democratic-controlled 2nd Congressional District, a top GOP target this fall. “John Bolton lies about President Trump, and now, his henchmen are doing the exact same thing to Trump conservative Eric Brakey,” says a new ad from the Protect Freedom PAC. “They’re scared of Brakey because they know he will stand with Trump, fight to drain the swamp, and advance an America First agenda.” The group’s spokesman, Michael Biundo, urged Maine Republican voters to “ignore the Bolton...

RUMFORD, Maine — Upstart Democrat Jared Golden is warning national party leaders that cultural intolerance and arrogant cosmopolitanism are driving away working-class voters. Golden could oust Republican Rep. Bruce Poliquin in Tuesday’s midterm elections in a rural district that backed President Trump two years ago and still supports his agenda, delivering a potentially fatal blow to the GOP’s teetering majority. But the state legislator and Marine combat veteran arrived here by separating himself from the coastal liberals that have come to dominate the Democratic Party in the 21st century. “It’s not just about cultural issues like guns or others. It...

The Democrats have decided that agendas are overrated. Back in May, the party unveiled its "Better Deal" program, calling for expanded broadband access, an increase in the minimum wage, and paid family and sick leave. Voters didn't bite. So last month the Democrats came up with "For the People," which simplifies the platform to infrastructure spending, lowering health care costs, and draining the swamp. Again, crickets. What to do? Party leadership has declared that it's every cis-het man for himself. "We trust our candidates to know their districts and the challenges facing their communities better than anyone," House campaign chair...