Jared Golden faces GOP opponent following a tight primary

Rep. Jared Golden (D-ME) will face a competitive general election in November after Austin Theriault won the Republican primary on Tuesday.

Both Theriault and challenger Michael Soboleksi serve in the Maine House of Representatives. Theriault, also a former NASCAR driver, held an advantage with the endorsement of former President Donald Trump and in fundraising. He will move forward to try and unseat Golden, a three-term incumbent who is one of the most conservative House Democrats on Capitol Hill.

Theriault’s primary win comes after a mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine, that killed 18 people in October last year. Soboleksi and Theriault had both vowed to be stronger protectors of the 2nd Amendment than Golden, who came out in support of an assault weapons ban after the Lewiston shooting despite being a longtime gun rights supporter.

Ousting Golden could prove to be a difficult task for Theriault but the 2024 election including a presidential contest could serve as a favor to the Republican candidate. Golden’s 2nd Congressional District gave Trump an electoral vote in the last two elections, so Theriault may benefit from the former president’s presence on the ballot. The Cook Political Report rates Golden’s seat as a toss-up with Republican +5.

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A win from Theriault in November could aid House Republicans as they work to keep and expand the majority in the lower chamber. Currently, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) can only afford to lose two votes to pass any measure along party lines.