Rep. Jared Golden of Maine, a moderate Democrat who previously said former President Trump would win the election, did not say Thursday whether he would vote for Vice President Harris.
“I expect I will have to work hard to earn the Mariners’ votes, and presidential candidates should expect the same,” Golden said in a statement Wednesday. “It’s not even a week since Kamala Harris became a presidential candidate, and I’m eager to hear more about the kind of leader she will be.”
Many Democrats have jumped on board with Harris after President Biden stepped down and endorsed her, but Golden said he wants to hear more from her and find out what she plans to do if elected.
“My hope is that she will use her background as an attorney general and prosecutor to demonstrate her commitment to public safety and the rule of law, from going after white-collar criminals who rip through working class people to securing our border and stopping the flow of deadly fentanyl into our communities,” Golden said.
Harris has not formally won the Democratic nomination, but she has enough delegates to lead the nomination race with about three weeks to go until the Democratic National Convention.
Golden, who has served in the House since 2019, previously responded to concerns about Biden’s candidacy with an op-ed for the Bangor Daily News with the headline “Donald Trump Will Win the Election and Democracy Will Be Fine.”
Before Biden left office, there had been growing calls among congressional Democrats for the president to step down to allow someone else to challenge Trump in the election.
In his op-ed, Golden pushed back against Democrats who say democracy is threatened by a “second Trump,” saying such warnings ignore the strength of a 250-year-old nation.
Still, even as Democrats have been inspired by Harris’ campaign, Golden said he’s not sure whether he should give his endorsement to the vice president. He told Axios He said he has “absolutely no intention” of voting for her at this point.
“I want to know her plans to ease the burden on Mainers, protect Social Security and Medicare, secure our children’s future and prosperity, and maintain American leadership on the world stage,” Golden said in a statement. “The choice of leader should never be an impulsive decision based solely on partisanship.”
