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We have recently seen Rep. Jared Golden attack what he seems pleased to call “radical leftist” beliefs. May we respond?
The purity of heart and the courage we have taken to be his true convictions in the past — standing on principle as a Democrat in a decidedly purple district of Maine we’ve been happy to call home for four decades now — is now suddenly, we find, to be ditched: thrown overboard in an apparent bid to firm up a constituency infected by deeply disturbing trends in America’s electorate now taking root here in the 2nd District.
The brave independence that has characterized Maine’s politics for so long (we were proud to call ourselves Bill Cohen Democrats and confess to being of an age to have taken heart from the sober good sense of Margaret Chase Smith) — indeed the very defiance that allowed Golden not long ago to turn back a challenge from Bruce Poliquin — we find suddenly now to be on the line!
We take it that word on the street finds Golden’s 2024 candidacy now unexpectedly vulnerable. Obviously there is nothing we can say to address this concern. But we will say, and say as firmly as we can, that his current reactionary trim simply opens a door to the return of Donald Trump — an outcome we cannot bring ourselves to believe Golden could anyway welcome!
So, please Jared Golden, say it ain’t so!
Michael and Amy Roberts
Steuben