Outgoing Rep. Jared Golden, a Maine Democrat who is not seeking re-election in 2026, has publicly endorsed Rep. Mike Lawler, a New York Republican, in his 2026 re-election bid.
Golden made the endorsement in an opinion piece, writing that “the Congress we get is the one we elect, and the country needs fewer members who treat the job as a stage and more who treat it as work.” He said that choice is on the ballot this fall in New York’s Hudson Valley.
“Mike Lawler has been a true partner to me and a friend to fishing families he will never represent,” Golden wrote. “I strongly back him, and I hope voters send him back to work. Wherever you live, find the members who pass laws with the other party, and keep them.”
Golden has served in the House since early 2019 and announced last year that he would not run again in 2026. Lawler has served since early 2023 and is running for another term this year.
Lawler responded on X, calling the endorsement “an honor and a privilege.” He wrote that despite representing different parties and different states, he and Golden “have worked during our time together in the House to find common ground on issues that matter both to us and our constituents.”
“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,” Lawler wrote.
Lawler is running to represent New York’s 17th Congressional District against Democratic candidate Cait Conley, a combat veteran who has served as the National Security Council director for counterterrorism and has worked with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.
Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg rallied with Conley last week, writing on X that he was “proud to be in Cait’s corner.”
