Rep. Jared Golden, a moderate Democrat who represents a battleground district in Maine, announced Wednesday he won't run again in 2026.
Golden reflected on his decision in an editorial in the Bangor Daily News, blaming the incivility and nastiness that has infected American politics.
The congressman also cited the assassination of Charlie Kirk and lawmakers in Minnesota as another reason for stepping away.
"These have made me reconsider the experiences of my own family, including all of us sitting in a hotel room on Thanksgiving last year after yet another threat against our home," Golden said.
He also faced a primary from liberal Matthew Dunlap and a tough general election race against former Republican Gov. Paul LePage in a district Trump won by more than nine points.
"I don't fear losing," Golden said. "What has become apparent to me is that I now dread the prospect of winning.
"Simply put, what I could accomplish in this increasingly unproductive Congress pales in comparison to what I could do in that time as a husband, a father and a son."
Golden also took a shot at Dunlap and LePage, saying they are "a far cry from being standard bearers of the generations that will inherit the legacy of today's Congress," while encouraging others to jump in the race.
Taking shots at his own party, Golden said he feared Democrats were being taken over by extremists, pointing to the ongoing government shutdown.
"Too many Democrats have given into demands that we use the same no-holds barred, obstructionary tactics as the GOP," Golden wrote.
The Cook Political Report, a nonpartisan election handicapper, rates the seat as a toss-up.
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