Rep. Jared Golden (D-ME) declined to run for Maine governor or Senate in 2026 and will instead seek reelection to his swing House seat, he announced Tuesday.
Golden was considered a contender for either statewide office after being elected in a Republican-leaning district four times.
“While I have considered many options for how best to continue serving the people of Maine, I have decided to run for re-election because the surest way to restore balance in Washington is for Democrats to win back the House of Representatives,” Golden said in a statement. “While the election is still 18 months away and I remain focused on my responsibilities to my constituents and my family, 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.”
His campaign manager, Kathleen Burns of Lewiston, called Golden a “proven winner” in the statement, and the “right choice to beat a candidate like Paul LePage and restore checks and balances in Congress.”
Golden also touted various union leader endorsements and the backing of Democratic leadership.
Former Maine Gov. Paul LePage, a Republican, is challenging Golden for his congressional seat and is expected to be a formidable opponent with statewide name recognition. However, he lost decisively to Gov. Janet Mills (D-ME) in his 2022 reelection campaign bid, 55.4% to 42.5%.
“I do not need a job, I am running to protect our Maine jobs,” LePage said in a statement on social media announcing his candidacy. “I am running to serve the people of Maine and help the president fix Washington.”
Democrats will now have to look elsewhere for someone to challenge Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) in 2026, with Golden out of the picture. The Senate Leadership Fund mocked Maine Democrats for failing to recruit Golden to run for Senate.
“Another day, another recruitment failure for Democrats in Maine as reality sets in that they have no one willing to step up and lose to Senator Susan Collins,” SLF Communications Director Chris Gustafson said in a statement to the Washington Examiner. “Maine has been well represented by Senator Collins thanks to her strong and steadfast leadership that continues to deliver lasting results for families.”
The Cook Political Report rates Collins’ race as “Lean Republican.”
As for the governor race in the state in 2026, it is wide-open with Mills term-limited. The Cook Political Report rates the race as “Likely Democrat.” On the Democratic side, the son of Sen. Angus King (I-ME), Angus King III, runs alongside former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson and Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows.
The Republican side has a limited repertoire of declared candidates, including former Bush administration official Robert Charles and former Paris, Maine, selectman Robert Wessels.
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Golden is a centrist Democrat and a member of the Blue Dog Coalition, which lost a member, Rep. Mary Peltola (D-AK), in the 2024 elections. Golden has the most red-leaning district of the bunch.
His House district is considered a “toss-up” for the 2026 elections and is one of the House GOP’s top targets.