U.S. Rep. Jared Golden of Maine’s 2nd District sat out Tuesday’s low-turnout presidential primaries won easily by President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump.
Golden “did not participate in the presidential primary,” spokesperson Mario Moretto confirmed Wednesday without giving a reason for the third-term congressman’s decision.
Golden, a centrist Democrat who has held the 2nd District seat since 2018, is running for reelection this year against the winner of the Republican primary, which occurs June 11. The two GOP contenders, state Reps. Austin Theriault of Fort Kent and Mike Soboleski of Phillips, are Trump supporters who have sought to tie Golden to Biden and border security issues.
But Golden voted against Biden more than any other House Democrat in 2023 and outpolled Trump in 2020. Trump carried Maine’s 2nd District in 2016 and 2020 while losing the statewide vote each time. In an early poll released last month, Trump had support from 38 percent of Maine voters to 32 percent for Biden, with 30 percent undecided or backing other candidates.
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Biden and Trump enjoyed easy victories Tuesday over their longshot challengers in the Democratic and Republican primaries, and Trump also locked down his GOP nomination after ex-South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley announced Wednesday she was suspending her campaign.
Still, both men have faced criticism and low approval ratings from voters tired of the same two presidential candidates, and Trump is also facing four pending criminal cases.
U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree, Golden’s more progressive House colleague who represents Maine’s 1st District, voted for Biden in the primary, spokesperson Victoria Bonney said.
The office of U.S. Sen. Angus King, an independent who caucuses with Democrats, has not shared whether the senator voted in the primary after the Bangor Daily News reached out for comment Tuesday. A spokesperson said Wednesday he was still checking on the request. It is the first year that independents can vote in party primaries here under a 2022 law.
U.S. Susan Collins, R-Maine, announced last Friday she was backing Haley. Collins was one of three members of Congress to endorse Trump’s opponent and former United Nations ambassador, but Haley has dropped out after Trump beat her in all Super Tuesday states except Vermont.
