Outgoing Rep. Jared Golden of Maine escalated his break from the Democratic Party on Monday by endorsing Republican Rep. Mike Lawler for reelection in a New York swing district that Democrats have targeted as a top pickup opportunity. The move drew immediate fury from fellow Democrats, who are spending heavily to elect Democratic challenger Cait Conley in the race.
Big name Democrats like Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi must be shaking their fists as the party continues to fall apart and further to the extreme left.
Golden defended himself against all critics, even in his own party. In a published op-ed, Golden called Lawler one of the most bipartisan members of Congress, pointing to shared legislative work including the Northeast Lobstermen Protection Act, which cleared the House floor with bipartisan support. “That is how Congress is supposed to work: members of different parties set aside their disagreements, find a problem that matters to the country and fix it,” Golden wrote.
Democrats Condemn Golden’s Choice
The reaction inside the Democratic caucus was swift and sharp. “Doesn’t sound like a Democrat to me. And his voting record doesn’t show he’s a Democrat either,” one House Democrat told reporters, speaking anonymously to speak candidly. A second lawmaker said Golden was actively hurting Conley’s chances. “It’s a winnable seat that he’s helping to make more difficult,” that Democrat said. “Also what is he doing to help us elsewhere?” A third House Democrat responded with a single text to The Washington Sun: “?.”
Lawler’s district is among the seats Democrats most want to flip as they work to reclaim the House majority in November. According to Jared Golden’s Republican endorsement, Golden is already in a difficult position with party leadership after he joined Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington in supporting two Republican procedural votes in September alone. Some Democrats have called for leadership to consider removing Gluesenkamp Perez from the House Appropriations Committee as a consequence.
Golden Defends His Record With Lawler
Golden argued in the op-ed that his partnership with Lawler reflects how bipartisan legislating is supposed to function. He noted that “twice more in the past two years, when something needed doing and party lines stood in the way, I found Lawler across the aisle.” Lawler was also among a small group of Republicans who joined Democrats in rebuking President Donald Trump over labor rights and in advancing a bill to extend Affordable Care Act credits.
Not every Democrat in the caucus condemned the endorsement. One lawmaker said bluntly, “I don’t think Lawler’s beatable,” and questioned the value of spending millions in that race. “For the millions we will spend on Conley, we could dump into many less expensive markets and have a bigger bank for buck,” the lawmaker said. A sympathetic colleague noted that Golden “hasn’t been treated well by leadership” and is retiring anyway, adding that “Maine will like his independence.”
DCCC Fires Back, Conley Stays Silent
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee stopped short of addressing Golden directly. Executive Director Julie Merz instead attacked Lawler, saying he had “dedicated his career to befriending DC reporters, partisan politics and voting with Trump 100% of the time,” while praising Conley as an Army combat veteran who served “with honor.” Merz predicted Lawler would lose because “Hudson Valley voters want lower costs and are ready for a check on the out-of-control Trump Administration.” Conley did not respond to a request for comment.
