A Democratic activist from Gardiner has filed papers with the Federal Election Commission to challenge Congressman Jared Golden in next year's party primary.
Louis Sigel is a former secretary of the Kennebec County Democratic Committee who has been involved with organizing some recent anti-Trump rallies at the State House. Sigel, 81, is hoping to tap into frustrations among some liberal and more progressive Democrats about Golden's history of breaking with his colleagues and party leadership in DC.
In an interview, Sigel accused Golden of not doing enough to push back against Trump. He also disagreed with Golden's unwavering support for Israel during the war in Gaza.
He also criticized Golden for several specific votes in Congress, including when he was one of just four Democrats to vote for a controversial election integrity bill sponsored by Republicans. That bill prohibits non-citizens from voting in federal, state and local elections. But critics argued the bill could create barriers for some legal voters — especially women who have changed their last name — when they attempt to register to vote.
"There are too many important policies where Jared has voted wrongly," Sigel said. "We need a Democrat who votes like a Democrat and supports policies like a Democrat."
Golden is a moderate who has been elected four times to represent Maine's more conservative 2nd Congressional District. He is a staunch supporter of abortion rights, unions and has been sharply critical of Republican efforts to slash spending on Medicaid and other safety net programs. But Golden has also lashed out at his party's progressive wing at times and has angered some Maine Democrats for his votes against gun control measures and his support for tariffs.
Maine's 2nd District race has consistently been a top priority for the national parties as well as deep-pocketed political groups as Democrats and Republicans vie for control of the House. Former Gov. Paul LePage's announcement that he is seeking the Republican nomination is likely to draw even more attention to the 2026 race.
State auditor and former Secretary of State Matt Dunlap has also said that he is considering a primary run against Golden.
