Democrats Seethe After House Colleague Endorses Battleground Republican

House Democrats are lashing out after one of their colleagues reached across the aisle to endorse a vulnerable New York Republican lawmaker. 

Democrats privately voiced their frustration at Maine Democrat Rep. Jared Golden after he published an op-ed on Monday endorsing Rep. Mike Lawler’s (R-NY) re-election bid. Messages from House Democrats to the Washington Sun revealed reactions to Golden’s endorsement.

“Doesn’t sound like a Democrat to me. And his voting record doesn’t show he’s a Democrat either,” one unidentified House Democrat said. 

Golden, who represents a district President Donald Trump won in 2024, has diverted from his party on major votes. Earlier this month, he was one of eight House Democrats to join Republicans in voting for a resolution condemning socialism.

“It’s a winnable seat that he’s helping to make more difficult,” another House Democrat told the Washington Sun. “Also what is he doing to help us elsewhere?”

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) released a statement attacking Lawler following Golden’s endorsement. 

“Mike Lawler is a partisan hack and Trump sycophant who Cait Conley will defeat in November,” he said. “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. This smoke and mirrors ploy will do nothing to change the outcome of the race.”

Golden, who is stepping down from Congress after his term expires in January, published an op-ed in a local newspaper on Monday praising Lawler for working with Democrats in the past. 

“I strongly back him, and I hope voters send him back to work,” Golden wrote of Lawler. “Wherever you live, find the members who pass laws with the other party, and keep them.”

Lawler joined House Democrats earlier this year to pass a bill aimed at shielding 350,000 Haitians from deportation. The proposal, which did not pass the Senate, was opposed by the White House. 

One House Democrat told the Washington Sun that they didn’t think that Lawler was “beatable.” 

“For the millions we will spend on Conley, we could dump into many less expensive markets and have a bigger bank for buck,” the representative said. 

Democrats have been targeting Lawler’s seat as a potential pickup as the party attempts to wrestle control of the House away from Republicans. Republicans are also targeting additional seats in New York, with efforts to flip a more GOP-friendly district on Long Island.