House Democrats are not taking Rep. Jared Golden’s latest bipartisan move quietly. The Maine Democrat published an op-ed Monday endorsing Rep. Mike Lawler, the vulnerable New York Republican whose seat Democrats have marked as a top pickup opportunity — and his colleagues are letting their frustration show, according to the Washington Sun.
One unnamed House Democrat didn’t mince words when asked about the endorsement. “Doesn’t sound like a Democrat to me. And his voting record doesn’t show he’s a Democrat either,” the lawmaker told the Sun.
Golden has long been an outlier within his party. He represents a district President Donald Trump carried in 2024, and earlier this month he was one of eight House Democrats who joined Republicans in voting for a resolution condemning socialism. That record is exactly what made Monday’s op-ed so galling to some of his colleagues.
Democrats Worry Golden Is Handing Republicans a Win
The frustration isn’t just about party loyalty — it’s about strategy. One House Democrat told the Sun that Golden is complicating what should be a winnable race.
“It’s a winnable seat that he’s helping to make more difficult,” the lawmaker said. “Also what is he doing to help us elsewhere?”
Not everyone in the caucus is convinced the seat is within reach at all. Another representative questioned the party’s investment in the district, telling the Sun they weren’t sure Lawler was “beatable” and suggesting the money could go further elsewhere.
“For the millions we will spend on Conley, we could dump into many less expensive markets and have a bigger bank for buck,” that lawmaker said, referring to Cait Conley, the Democrat running against Lawler.
Jeffries Fires Back at Lawler
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) responded to Golden’s endorsement with a sharply worded statement aimed squarely at Lawler, calling him a “partisan hack and Trump sycophant who Cait Conley will defeat in November.”
In the statement, Jeffries dismissed the endorsement as a last-minute stunt from a departing lawmaker who doesn’t represent the district.
“In desperation, he is peddling an 11th hour endorsement from a retiring Congressmember who represents an out of town district more than 400 miles away,” Jeffries said. “This smoke and mirrors ploy will do nothing to change the outcome of the race.”
Golden is not seeking re-election and will leave Congress when his term expires in January.
What Golden Wrote — and Why He Says Lawler Deserves Another Term
In his op-ed, published in a local newspaper, Golden praised Lawler for working across the aisle and urged voters to reward that approach. He framed his support in terms broader than one race.
“I strongly back him, and I hope voters send him back to work,” Golden wrote of Lawler. “Wherever you live, find the members who pass laws with the other party, and keep them.”
Golden pointed to Lawler’s recent break with his own party as evidence. Earlier this year, Lawler joined House Democrats in passing a bill aimed at shielding roughly 350,000 Haitians from deportation. The measure ultimately failed in the Senate and drew opposition from the White House.
The endorsement lands in the middle of a broader fight for control of the House. Democrats have been targeting Lawler’s seat as part of their effort to take the majority from Republicans, while the GOP is looking to flip additional New York districts, including a more Republican-friendly seat on Long Island.
For now, Golden’s move has accomplished something rare: it has united a frustrated Democratic caucus and a Republican incumbent’s critics in the same conversation — just not on the same side.
Source: www.dailywire.com — https://www.dailywire.com/news/democrats-seethe-after-house-colleague-endorses-battleground-republican