Maine District 2 Republican U.S. House candidate Austin Theriault says incumbent Democrat Jerod Golden has voted against legislation that would have helped the country, especially during the administration of former President Donald Trump.
“He has voted against some of the most consequential legislation that has ever seen the House floor,” said Theriault. “HR 2, really tough border patrol, border security bill, he voted against. Voted against the wall that President Trump had wanted to build during his administration,”
Polls show a tight race between Theriault and Golden that could impact control of the House on election day. The two have traded tight leads in five polls between late July and October 20, with Theriault leading 47-44 percent in the most recent survey.
Theriault was interviewed Wednesday morning on the WGAN Morning News with Matt Gangon. Golden did not reply to our efforts to interview him on the same day, although he has appeared on the program in the past.
Theriault further says Golden claims to be moderate but is too liberal to represent Maine’s more conservative 2nd District. “He’s going to support one of the most progressive Speakers of the House we’ve ever seen in Hakeem Jeffries,” Theriault said. “And then Hakeem Jeffries is going to determine not only legislation, but he’s going to determine investigations. He’s going to determine who is appointed to be in charge of these committees at the House level.”
Theriault is former part-time NASCAR Cup Series driver from Kent. He was elected to the Maine House in 2022 to represent the state’s legislative 1st district.
Golden is a Marine Corps veteran who has served two terms representing the congression 2nd District. He was born in Lewiston, Maine, and raised in Leeds.
The 2nd District is the largest congressional district east of the Mississippi River, comprising the northern four-fifths of Maine, including the cities of Lewiston, Bangor, and Auburn. The district was carried by Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election, making it a politically competitive area.
