Golden breaks Democratic ranks to support Lawler's reelection bid

Mary Ellen McIntire, CQ-Roll Call on Sep 21, 2026

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

WASHINGTON — New York Republican Mike Lawler, one of the most vulnerable members of the House, picked up a notable endorsement Monday from retiring Democratic Rep. Jared Golden of Maine.

In an op-ed for The Journal News, Golden pointed to the pair’s work on several bills, including one that would extend a pause on federal lobster regulations until 2035, noting that Lawler signed on to the measure despite it not affecting his Hudson Valley district.

“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 wrote. “And he understands that in every community, not just in Maine, mom-and-pop shops have been around for generations, and their livelihoods make up the very foundation of our communities.”

“Mike Lawler has been a true partner to me and a friend to fishing families he will never represent,” he added. “I strongly back him, and I hope voters send him back to work.”

Golden announced last year that he wouldn’t seek reelection to Maine’s 2nd District, a largely rural seat that President Donald Trump has carried all three times he’s been on the ballot, including by 9 points in 2024, according to calculations by Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales.

Lawler, in contrast, is among a handful of House Republicans who represent districts that backed Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election. Harris carried New York’s 17th District by less than a point, while Lawler was reelected by 6 points.

Lawler currently faces a tough fight for a third term against Democrat Cait Conley, an Army veteran who also worked for the National Security Council and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency during the Biden administration. Inside Elections rates the race a Toss-up.

Lawler said it was “an honor and a privilege” to receive Golden’s support.

“We share a firm belief that what’s best for the people should come before one’s party, and that if more members on both sides of the aisle took that approach more often, the country would be better off for it,” he posted on social media Monday.

Over his tenure in the House, Lawler has sought to build a reputation as a moderate who will work across the aisle, while not shying away from his party label.

Lawler spoke earlier this month at the GOP midterm convention in Dallas, an event that some swing district Republicans opted not to attend. Speaking onstage, he said his remarks were directed at “commonsense Democrats and independents” who were “concerned about the rise of socialism and extremism on the left” and not sold on Republicans either.

“The president and I don’t always agree, and that’s OK,” said Lawler, who joined Trump at a campaign rally in Rockland County earlier this year. “But in contrast to what the media tells you, what I learned about President Trump behind closed doors is that if you’re willing to make your case and fight for what you believe in, he’s willing to listen.”

Some Democrats, though, predicted Golden’s support wouldn’t save Lawler in November, with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries calling his fellow New Yorker an “unadulterated phony who has never shown bipartisan courage when it matters.”

“In desperation, he is peddling an 11th hour endorsement from a retiring Congressmember who represents an out of town district more than 400 miles away,” Jeffries said in a statement Monday. “This smoke and mirrors ploy will do nothing to change the outcome of the race.”

Golden has twice this month drawn the ire of Democratic leaders by joining with House Republicans on procedural votes that would have fallen short without support from him and Democrat Marie Gluesenkamp Pérez, who represents a battleground seat in Washington state.

One of those votes was on a rule governing debate on four bills, including the lobster measure Golden worked on with Lawler and a resolution to denounce “socialism in all its forms.” The other vote helped advance several items, including legislation to impose new sanctions on Russia.

_____