Jared Golden endorses a vulnerable New York Republican
Maine Democrat Jared Golden Endorses New York Republican Mike Lawler for 2026 Congressional Race
Aug. 29, 2026 — Bangor, Maine
U.S. Representative Jared Golden, the 44‑year‑old Democrat who has represented Maine’s 2nd Congressional District since 2014, surprised the political world this Monday by publicly supporting his Republican counterpart, Mike Lawler, in New York’s 17th‑District race. The endorsement, published in an op‑ed for The Journal News, arrives just weeks before the November 2026 midterm elections.
Golden, who announced earlier this year that he would not seek a fifth term due to escalating political incivility and threats against his family, said his support stems from a shared commitment to bipartisan cooperation. “I held the most challenging district of any Democrat in the country by earning the trust of Democrats, independents and Republicans alike,” he wrote. “Representing districts like ours forces you to work for people who disagree with you, and it teaches you that those people are not your enemies. They are your neighbors.”
Lawler, a 40‑year‑old Republican from the Hudson Valley, is campaigning for a third term in a district that former Vice President Kamala Harris carried in the 2024 presidential election. While the area has no lobster boats, it shares a common interest in protecting coastal fishing communities. Golden highlighted the two lawmakers’ collaboration on legislation that delayed the start of new lobster‑fishing rules aimed at safeguarding the North Atlantic right whale.
“There is not a single lobster boat in his district. He got no votes in this and no headlines back home,” Golden wrote. “He signed on because a historic American industry, thousands of fishing families, and the principle that federal rules should be built on facts were all on the line. And he understands that in every community, not just in Maine, mom‑and‑pop shops have been around for generations, and their livelihoods make up the very foundation of our communities.”
Lawler’s record on other key issues further appealed to Golden. The Republican voted in favor of restoring collective bargaining rights for federal workers, after President Trump had issued an executive order stripping those rights. In late 2025, Lawler joined Democrats in pushing for an extension of Affordable Care Act credits that Congress had allowed to expire.
Despite President Donald Trump’s endorsement of Lawler, Golden noted that the lawmaker has sometimes disagreed with the president, underscoring Lawler’s willingness to cross party lines on matters he sees as vital to ordinary Americans.
The endorsement has sparked debate among Democrats. House Democratic leaders have publicly criticized Golden for what they describe as a “blindside” vote with Republicans, arguing that his backing of a GOP incumbent could undermine the party’s efforts to regain control of the House. The Cook Political Report labels New York’s 17th‑District race a toss‑up, while Republican operative and former New York governor’s aide indicates that the campaign may face significant scrutiny from party resources.
Meanwhile, Golden is still managing the practical aspects of his own campaign. He has sent some of his remaining campaign cash to Democratic candidates in earlier primaries, and about $400,000 of his funds remain unallocated. In his own 2nd‑District race, Golden has not yet endorsed the Democratic nominee, State Auditor Matt Dunlap, who faces former Governor Paul LePage in the general election. Dunlap had challenged Golden in the primary last fall, but the former congressman withdrew from the race after announcing his retirement.
Lawler’s campaign has not yet responded to Golden’s endorsement, but the support arrives at a time when the district’s voters, who include both long‑time Trump supporters and progressive activists, are poised to decide the balance of power in Congress. Whether Golden’s cross‑party backing will influence the outcome remains to be seen, but it underscores a growing trend of lawmakers prioritizing bipartisan cooperation over partisan loyalty.
— Maine News Now
