SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
Maine State Auditor Matt Dunlap is running against incumbent Democratic Congressman Jared Golden in the June 2026 primary.
(Photo by Matt Dunlap for Congress)
Maine Progressive Matt Dunlap Launches Bid for Jared Golden's US House Seat
"I’m running because Mainers deserve a fighter who won’t cave to Donald Trump. Jared Golden said Trump is ‘OK’ and that we’ll be ‘just fine’ but Mainers are being hurt by his policies."
Oct 06, 2025
Maine Auditor Matt Dunlap on Monday launched a Democratic primary campaign against US Rep. Jared Golden, citing the incumbent congressman's frequent siding with President Donald Trump and Republicans and promising a "People's Agenda" that centers working-class needs.
"I’m running because Mainers deserve a fighter who won’t cave to Donald Trump," Dunlap, who is also a former Maine secretary of state, said in a statement announcing his candidacy. "Jared Golden said Trump is ‘OK’ and that we’ll be ‘just fine’ but Mainers are being hurt by his policies."
"Golden has repeatedly sided with Trump, even when it means that healthcare costs will skyrocket for thousands of Mainers," Dunlap added. "When I’m in Congress, I’ll stand up for Maine, and I’ll fight for affordable healthcare, a lower cost of living, and higher wages for hardworking people.”
Dunlap's platform—which includes Medicare for All and universal childcare—stands in stark contrast with Golden's record as the sole House Democrat to vote against unemployment benefits, child tax credits, and affordable healthcare in the American Rescue Plan pandemic relief package signed by former President Joe Biden in 2021.
Golden was also the only House Democrat who voted for Republicans' government funding bill last month, blaming "hardball politics driven by the demands far-left groups" for the ongoing government shutdown.
Taking aim at both Golden and former Gov. Paul LePage, the likely Republican nominee, Dunlap said in his first campaign ad that "we can do better than bad and worse."
The ad also highlights Dunlap's purported accessibility, a sore spot among voters who accuse Golden of dodging his constituents by refusing to hold town hall meetings.
Dunlap faces a steep uphill battle in a district that Trump won by 9.6% in 2024.
“If Matt Dunlap thinks this district will choose him over Paul LePage, he’s got another thing coming,” Golden said in response to Monday's announcement.
LePage campaign spokesperson Brent Littlefield welcomed Dunlap's entry into the race, saying the progressive candidate "sees what we see, Jared Golden is hiding."
"From Aroostook to Oxford and every county in between, Maine people say they never see Jared Golden in their towns or communities," he added.
Dunlap already has a history of clashing with Trump. During his first term, the president appointed the then-secretary of state to a bipartisan panel tasked with investigating alleged voter fraud. Dunlap sued the commission to obtain files he said were being withheld from him. A judge ruled in his favor; Trump subsequently shut down the commission.
An Urgent Message From Our Co-Founder
Dear Common Dreams reader, It’s been nearly 30 years since I co-founded Common Dreams with my late wife, Lina Newhouser. We had the radical notion that journalism should serve the public good, not corporate profits. It was clear to us from the outset what it would take to build such a project. No paid advertisements. No corporate sponsors. No millionaire publisher telling us what to think or do. Many people said we wouldn't last a year, but we proved those doubters wrong. Together with a tremendous team of journalists and dedicated staff, we built an independent media outlet free from the constraints of profits and corporate control. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. Building Common Dreams was not easy. Our survival was never guaranteed. When you take on the most powerful forces—Wall Street greed, fossil fuel industry destruction, Big Tech lobbyists, and uber-rich oligarchs who have spent billions upon billions rigging the economy and democracy in their favor—the only bulwark you have is supporters who believe in your work. But here’s the urgent message from me today. It's never been this bad out there. And it's never been this hard to keep us going. At the very moment Common Dreams is most needed, the threats we face are intensifying. We need your support now more than ever. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. When everyone does the little they can afford, we are strong. But if that support retreats or dries up, so do we. Will you donate now to make sure Common Dreams not only survives but thrives? —Craig Brown, Co-founder |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
paul lepageuniversal childcareamerican rescue plangovernment shutdownus congressus house of representativesmaineelection 2026medicare for allhealthcaredonald trumpjared golden
Maine Auditor Matt Dunlap on Monday launched a Democratic primary campaign against US Rep. Jared Golden, citing the incumbent congressman's frequent siding with President Donald Trump and Republicans and promising a "People's Agenda" that centers working-class needs.
"I’m running because Mainers deserve a fighter who won’t cave to Donald Trump," Dunlap, who is also a former Maine secretary of state, said in a statement announcing his candidacy. "Jared Golden said Trump is ‘OK’ and that we’ll be ‘just fine’ but Mainers are being hurt by his policies."
"Golden has repeatedly sided with Trump, even when it means that healthcare costs will skyrocket for thousands of Mainers," Dunlap added. "When I’m in Congress, I’ll stand up for Maine, and I’ll fight for affordable healthcare, a lower cost of living, and higher wages for hardworking people.”
Dunlap's platform—which includes Medicare for All and universal childcare—stands in stark contrast with Golden's record as the sole House Democrat to vote against unemployment benefits, child tax credits, and affordable healthcare in the American Rescue Plan pandemic relief package signed by former President Joe Biden in 2021.
Golden was also the only House Democrat who voted for Republicans' government funding bill last month, blaming "hardball politics driven by the demands far-left groups" for the ongoing government shutdown.
Taking aim at both Golden and former Gov. Paul LePage, the likely Republican nominee, Dunlap said in his first campaign ad that "we can do better than bad and worse."
The ad also highlights Dunlap's purported accessibility, a sore spot among voters who accuse Golden of dodging his constituents by refusing to hold town hall meetings.
Dunlap faces a steep uphill battle in a district that Trump won by 9.6% in 2024.
“If Matt Dunlap thinks this district will choose him over Paul LePage, he’s got another thing coming,” Golden said in response to Monday's announcement.
LePage campaign spokesperson Brent Littlefield welcomed Dunlap's entry into the race, saying the progressive candidate "sees what we see, Jared Golden is hiding."
"From Aroostook to Oxford and every county in between, Maine people say they never see Jared Golden in their towns or communities," he added.
Dunlap already has a history of clashing with Trump. During his first term, the president appointed the then-secretary of state to a bipartisan panel tasked with investigating alleged voter fraud. Dunlap sued the commission to obtain files he said were being withheld from him. A judge ruled in his favor; Trump subsequently shut down the commission.
From Your Site Articles
- 'Pathetic': Maine Democrat Blames 'Dark Money' Indivisible for His Refusal to Hold Town Halls ›
- 'Unconscionable Surrender to Fascism': Democrat Jared Golden Says He's OK With Trump Win ›
- Conservative Dem Golden Won't Seek Reelection After Saying Democracy Would Be 'Fine' Under Trump Last Year | Common Dreams ›
Maine Auditor Matt Dunlap on Monday launched a Democratic primary campaign against US Rep. Jared Golden, citing the incumbent congressman's frequent siding with President Donald Trump and Republicans and promising a "People's Agenda" that centers working-class needs.
"I’m running because Mainers deserve a fighter who won’t cave to Donald Trump," Dunlap, who is also a former Maine secretary of state, said in a statement announcing his candidacy. "Jared Golden said Trump is ‘OK’ and that we’ll be ‘just fine’ but Mainers are being hurt by his policies."
"Golden has repeatedly sided with Trump, even when it means that healthcare costs will skyrocket for thousands of Mainers," Dunlap added. "When I’m in Congress, I’ll stand up for Maine, and I’ll fight for affordable healthcare, a lower cost of living, and higher wages for hardworking people.”
Dunlap's platform—which includes Medicare for All and universal childcare—stands in stark contrast with Golden's record as the sole House Democrat to vote against unemployment benefits, child tax credits, and affordable healthcare in the American Rescue Plan pandemic relief package signed by former President Joe Biden in 2021.
Golden was also the only House Democrat who voted for Republicans' government funding bill last month, blaming "hardball politics driven by the demands far-left groups" for the ongoing government shutdown.
Taking aim at both Golden and former Gov. Paul LePage, the likely Republican nominee, Dunlap said in his first campaign ad that "we can do better than bad and worse."
The ad also highlights Dunlap's purported accessibility, a sore spot among voters who accuse Golden of dodging his constituents by refusing to hold town hall meetings.
Dunlap faces a steep uphill battle in a district that Trump won by 9.6% in 2024.
“If Matt Dunlap thinks this district will choose him over Paul LePage, he’s got another thing coming,” Golden said in response to Monday's announcement.
LePage campaign spokesperson Brent Littlefield welcomed Dunlap's entry into the race, saying the progressive candidate "sees what we see, Jared Golden is hiding."
"From Aroostook to Oxford and every county in between, Maine people say they never see Jared Golden in their towns or communities," he added.
Dunlap already has a history of clashing with Trump. During his first term, the president appointed the then-secretary of state to a bipartisan panel tasked with investigating alleged voter fraud. Dunlap sued the commission to obtain files he said were being withheld from him. A judge ruled in his favor; Trump subsequently shut down the commission.
From Your Site Articles
- 'Pathetic': Maine Democrat Blames 'Dark Money' Indivisible for His Refusal to Hold Town Halls ›
- 'Unconscionable Surrender to Fascism': Democrat Jared Golden Says He's OK With Trump Win ›
- Conservative Dem Golden Won't Seek Reelection After Saying Democracy Would Be 'Fine' Under Trump Last Year | Common Dreams ›
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.