Rep. Jared Golden of Maine, a moderate Democrat, published an op-ed on Tuesday arguing that former President Trump will win the election and that’s “OK.”
Golden, who has served in the House of Representatives since 2019, Published works “Donald Trump Wins the Election and Democracy Will Be Fine,” headlined the Bangor Daily News after Republicans voiced concern following Biden’s poor debate performance.
The Maine congressman argued that Biden’s presence on stage didn’t upset him as much as it did others because the outcome of the 2024 presidential election has been clear for months.
“I’m not voting for him, but Donald Trump will win and I’m OK with that,” Golden wrote.
House Democrats have argued that others in their party are concerned that democracy would be threatened if Trump wins this fall’s election.The statements from Golden’s party were exacerbated by the Supreme Court’s decision on Monday to grant broad immunity to Trump in the Jan. 6 lawsuit.
Golden said he rejects the idea that Trump is subverting American democracy, and that raising alarms about his victory ignores the strength of a nation with nearly 250 years of history.
“Unlike Biden and many others, I refuse to join Trump’s campaign to scare voters with the idea that he will end our democratic system,” he said.
Golden, who served in combat as a Marine in Iraq and Afghanistan, noted that Jan. 6, 2021, was a “dark day.” Still, he said police officers, judges, state election officials and members of Congress came together to protect our democracy, along with U.S. military personnel.
“This election is about the economy, not about democracy, and when it comes to the economy, Congress matters far more than who occupies the White House,” Golden wrote.
Golden believes that with Trump back in the White House by January, Maine lawmakers will need to be willing to work with him, not just hold him accountable.
“I urge voters, public officials, the media and all citizens to ignore the scare tactics and political fantasies of small talkers,” Golden wrote. “We don’t need party insiders in smoke-filled back rooms to save us. We can protect our democracy without them.”
Golden, like the rest of the House, is up for reelection this year. He will face Maine Republican Rep. Austin Theriault in the fall’s general election.
The nonpartisan Cook Political Report rates Golden’s district as close, and Trump won it by 6 points in 2020.
His op-ed stands in stark contrast to comments from Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas), who on Tuesday became the first House Democrat to publicly call on Biden to drop out of the race.
In a post on social media platform X, Theriault says: Calling Golden’s article a “deeply hypocritical attempt to deflect responsibility,” he asked Golden whether he supports Biden and whether he thinks the president is mentally sound.
“He’s not going to say anything because he puts politics above the people of Maine,” Theriault said.
