Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine, announced Tuesday that he will eschew running for statewide office to instead seek a fifth term in a key battleground congressional district won by President Donald Trump three times.
Golden flipped Maine's 2nd Congressional District in 2018 and is a key target of Republicans in the 2026 midterms. Former Maine Republican Gov. Paul LePage entered the House race earlier this month.
"I have decided to run for reelection because the surest way to restore balance in Washington is for Democrats to win back the House of Representatives," Golden said in a release. "While the election is still 18 months away … I also know the path to the majority runs through Maine. And I am going to do what it takes to make sure no one like Paul LePage blusters his way into Congress."
Golden had been mulling a bid for Maine's open governor's race in 2026, and he was seen as a potential candidate to challenge Republican Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, when her seat also comes up in the midterms, Politico reported Tuesday.
Instead, Golden will defend the district that Trump won by 10 points in the 2024 general election and also won in 2020 and 2016.
"Jared's dedication to representing all of his constituents — no matter their party affiliation — makes him uniquely suited to once again win one of the toughest seats in the country for Democrats to hold. He's also helping Democrats flip Republican seats in competitive districts throughout America," House Democratic leadership, led by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said in the release.
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