A Democratic congressman is crossing party lines in one of the most closely watched House races of the 2026 midterm elections.
Rep. Jared Golden of Maine announced Monday that he is endorsing Republican Rep. Mike Lawler for reelection in New York’s competitive 17th Congressional District, an unusual move as Democrats fight to win the seat and Republicans work to defend their House majority.
Golden, who announced last year that he would not seek another term in Congress, praised Lawler for working with members of both parties and pointed to legislation the two lawmakers have pursued together.
The Washington Post, Roll Call and other outlets reported the endorsement Monday.
Jared Golden Backs Republican Mike Lawler
Golden explained his decision in an opinion column published by The Journal News, arguing that Congress needs more lawmakers focused on governing and bipartisan cooperation.
According to Golden, Lawler has been willing to work with Democrats even when doing so offers little direct political benefit to the New York Republican.
Golden specifically described Lawler as a “true partner” and said he strongly supports sending him back to Congress.
The endorsement is especially notable because Lawler is running against Democrat Cait Conley in a district both parties view as highly competitive.
Golden has developed a reputation for occasionally breaking with Democratic leadership during his time representing Maine’s 2nd Congressional District. His latest move takes that independence a significant step further by publicly supporting a Republican candidate in a race Democrats are targeting.
Bipartisan Lobster Bill Played Major Role
Golden pointed to Lawler’s support for the Northeast Lobsterman Protection Act as one reason for his endorsement.
The legislation would extend the current regulatory framework affecting the American lobster and Jonah crab fisheries until 2035, delaying potential new regulations connected to efforts to protect the endangered North Atlantic right whale.
The House passed the Golden-Lawler legislation on September 1 by a 219-196 vote. The measure then moved to the Senate.
Although Lawler represents New York rather than Maine’s lobster industry, Golden argued that his Republican colleague supported the legislation because of its potential impact on fishermen, small businesses and coastal communities.
Federal records identify Lawler as the bill’s sponsor and Golden as a cosponsor.
For Golden, that cooperation became an example of the type of bipartisan relationship he believes voters should encourage.
Golden Has Broken With Democrats Before
The endorsement did not emerge completely out of nowhere.
Golden has repeatedly shown a willingness to vote against his party on individual measures. Earlier this month, he joined Republicans on procedural votes that helped advance legislation in the narrowly divided House.
One of those votes involved a group of measures that included the lobster legislation Golden and Lawler supported.
Golden argued that representing politically divided districts requires members of Congress to work with constituents and lawmakers who disagree with them.
His own Maine district has been politically challenging for Democrats. President Donald Trump carried Golden’s district in each of his three presidential campaigns, including by roughly nine percentage points in 2024, according to calculations cited by Roll Call.
Why New York’s 17th District Matters
Lawler represents a very different type of battleground.
Kamala Harris narrowly carried New York’s 17th Congressional District in the 2024 presidential election, while Lawler won reelection to the House by approximately six points.
That split-ticket result has helped make Lawler one of the Republicans receiving significant attention from Democrats heading into the 2026 midterms.
His Democratic opponent, Cait Conley, is an Army veteran who previously worked at the National Security Council and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency during the Biden administration.
Public polling has produced different results.
A July Co/efficient poll of 1,292 likely voters showed Lawler at 50% and Conley at 45%. A separate July FM3 Research survey, conducted for a Democratic-aligned organization, showed Conley at 51% and Lawler at 45%. Different pollsters, samples and sponsorship can produce different results, and individual surveys should not be treated as predictions of the final election outcome.
Lawler Has Also Challenged His Own Party
Golden also highlighted Lawler’s record of occasionally disagreeing with fellow Republicans.
Lawler has sought to present himself as a Republican capable of working across party lines while continuing to support major portions of the GOP agenda.
During recent remarks, Lawler acknowledged that he and President Trump do not agree on every issue, while saying that he has been able to make his case directly to the president.
Another major issue for Lawler has been the federal deduction for state and local taxes, commonly known as SALT.
The deduction is particularly significant in high-tax suburban areas such as those found throughout New York’s Hudson Valley, and Lawler has pushed for a higher deduction cap as part of Republican tax negotiations.
Golden cited Lawler’s willingness to take district-specific positions as part of his broader argument for supporting lawmakers who sometimes depart from their national parties.
Democrats Push Back Against Golden’s Endorsement
Democratic leaders quickly rejected Golden’s reasoning.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries criticized Lawler and emphasized that Golden is retiring from Congress and represents a district hundreds of miles from New York’s 17th District.
Jeffries argued that voters in Westchester County and the lower Hudson Valley will make the decision themselves and disputed Lawler’s characterization as a bipartisan lawmaker.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee also defended Conley and criticized Lawler’s voting record.
DCCC executive director Julie Merz argued that Conley’s military and government service gives voters a clear alternative to Lawler. She also accused the Republican congressman of closely aligning himself with Trump.
Those statements are campaign arguments from Democratic officials rather than independent assessments of either candidate.
Lawler Welcomes Democratic Support
Lawler welcomed Golden’s endorsement, saying the two lawmakers share the belief that serving constituents should come before party loyalty.
He said he believes Congress would function better if more lawmakers from both parties took a similar approach.
The endorsement also gives Lawler something unusual to highlight during the closing stretch of his campaign: public support from a sitting member of the opposing party.
Golden, meanwhile, has made clear that he views the endorsement as consistent with his broader frustration over partisan divisions in Washington rather than as a departure from the Democratic Party itself.
A High-Profile Twist Before the Midterms
Golden’s endorsement adds another layer to an already heavily contested House race.
For Republicans, Lawler is defending a district that supported the Democratic presidential nominee in 2024. For Democrats, defeating him represents an opportunity to gain a seat as both parties compete over control of the House.
Golden’s intervention does not determine how voters will respond, but it provides a striking example of a sitting Democrat openly supporting a Republican colleague based on their working relationship in Congress.
With Election Day approaching, voters in New York’s 17th District will ultimately decide whether Lawler receives another term or Conley flips the seat to Democrats.
Either way, Golden’s decision ensures that one of the country’s competitive congressional races will enter its final weeks with an unusual bipartisan endorsement at the center of the conversation.