Democrat Jared Golden accuses party of lying about government shutdown strategy

Maine Democratic Rep. Jared Golden on Sunday accused his party of lying about its approach to the federal government shutdown, which is nearing the one-month mark.

Golden was the only House Democrat to support the Republican-led clean continuing resolution that would keep the government funded through Nov. 21. The House passed the bill last month, but it has been held up in the Senate.

The Democrat claimed his party should not be hiding behind the healthcare subsidies that it has been pushing as the reason it will not unite with Republicans to reopen the government. The subsidies will end in December if not extended.

“I’m just uncomfortable lying about the strategy to win and shutting down the government. We’ve never been the party that does that,” Golden told the Wall Street Journal. “I’m not willing to shut down the government over health care subsidies for households making $300,000. I think we have a deficit problem in this country that neither party is showing any ability or political will to address.”

Golden said the issue of the subsidies should be separate from talks about reopening the government, but that he does support extending some subsidies. 

The comment is just the latest example of the Maine Democrat breaking from his party. He also voted with Republicans to pass the SAVE Act, tariffs and a spending bill in March to avoid a government shutdown.

The latest government shutdown has been in effect since Oct. 1, when Senate Democrats blocked Republicans from getting the necessary 60 votes to advance the House-passed continuing resolution. 

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.