Jared Golden

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Jared Golden (born July 25, 1982) is an American politician and Marine Corps veteran who has represented Maine’s 2nd congressional district in the U.S. House since 2019. A Democrat, he represents a large, mostly rural district that has voted for Donald Trump in recent presidential elections, making his seat competitive. He was the first member of Congress elected by ranked-choice voting to win after finishing second in the first round of counting in 2018.

Golden grew up in Maine and joined the Marine Corps in 2002, serving two combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan before leaving as a corporal in 2006. He earned the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal. After the military, he studied history and politics at Bates College, worked for Sen. Susan Collins on homeland security issues, and later served in the Maine House of Representatives from 2014 to 2018, where he chaired elections and rules committees and was Assistant House Majority Leader.

In 2018, Golden won Maine’s 2nd district in a close ranked-choice race against Bruce Poliquin, becoming the district’s first post-1916 challenger to win. He was reelected in 2020 and again in 2024, despite the district’s tendency to vote for Trump in presidential races. He describes himself as a progressive conservative and served as co-chair of the Blue Dog Coalition from 2023 to 2025, known for his independence and willingness to diverge from his party on some issues.

Golden announced on November 5, 2025 that he would not seek reelection in 2026. His voting record includes backing aid to Ukraine and Israel, opposing some gun-control bills before the Lewiston, Maine shooting in 2023 and then supporting a federal assault weapons ban, and voting for the Respect for Marriage Act in 2022. He is married to Isobel Moiles since 2015, and they have two daughters. His wife previously served on Lewiston’s city council. He has several Marine tattoos, including a Celtic cross and a “devil dog.”