WASHINGTON— In an embarrassing blow to House Democratic leadership and their desperate bids to seize control of Congress, retiring Democratic Representative Jared Golden (D-Maine) issued a stunning cross-party endorsement on Monday, September 21, 2026, officially backing Republican Representative Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) for reelection.

Writing in an op-ed published in New York’s Lohud, Golden—who announced in November 2025 that he would not seek reelection—torched the "incivility and plain nastiness" plaguing Washington while praising Lawler as a "true partner" and champion for working-class families.

Golden highlighted how Lawler put results over party bosses by co-leading the Northeast Lobstermen Protection Act. The vital legislation extends a statutory pause on burdensome federal maritime regulations on Maine’s lobster industry until 2035, protecting blue-collar livelihoods from federal bureaucrats enforcing rules built on worst-case assumptions rather than hard data.

"There is not a single lobster boat in his district," Golden wrote, praising Lawler’s willingness to fight for American workers regardless of political borders. "He got no votes in this and no headlines back home. He signed on because a historic American industry, thousands of fishing families, and the principle that federal rules should be built on facts were all on the line."

Golden also pointed out Lawler’s immediate support for legislation restoring collective bargaining rights for federal employees. "Mike Lawler has been a true partner to me and a friend to fishing families he will never represent," Golden declared. "I strongly back him, and I hope voters send him back to work."

Responding on X, Lawler expressed gratitude for the endorsement, calling Golden a "servant leader who has fought tirelessly for his district."

Golden’s endorsement of Lawler—who faces Democratic challenger Cait Conley in New York’s targeted 17th Congressional District—exposes deep cracks in the Democratic machine. As moderate lawmakers abandon party orthodoxies to side with results-driven leadership, conservative pragmatism continues to prove that putting American workers first transcends partisan posturing.