AUGUSTA, Maine — The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, historically viewed as friendlier to Republicans, announced Wednesday it is endorsing U.S. Rep. Jared Golden in the Maine Democrat’s 2nd Congressional District race against state Rep. Austin Theriault.
The endorsement of Golden, a third-term moderate who voted last year against President Joe Biden’s policies more than any other House Democrat, is another example of how the influential business group that typically leads all groups in lobbying spending has not seen eye to eye with Republicans and ex-President Donald Trump over populist-oriented ideas in recent years.
Why the chamber likes Golden: Golden ”has been a relentless champion for job creators, main streets and the workforce” in Maine’s 2nd District, said Stephen McAllister, the vice president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Eastern Region, in a Wednesday announcement on the endorsement of Golden.
The chamber endorsed Golden, a Marine veteran who is also backed by labor groups, a day after also presenting him with its “Advocate for American Business” award during an event at TimberHP’s wood fiber insulation plant in Madison. Golden’s office noted the award came after he had introduced legislation to boost funding for Small Business Development Centers and advocated for money for Maine manufacturers in the national defense spending bill along with disaster aid for businesses hit by extreme weather.
The chamber endorsed former U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin, R-Maine, in 2016 and again two years later in a race he lost to Golden before not endorsing either candidate in their 2022 rematch. The Maine State Chamber of Commerce has typically not endorsed congressional candidates.
What’s at stake: Golden will welcome the endorsement from a powerful group after Theriault, a Fort Kent Republican and former NASCAR driver, received the National Rifle Association’s backing on an issue important to Mainers: gun rights. Following last year’s mass shooting in his hometown of Lewiston, Golden reversed his past opposition to an assault-style weapons ban.
More importantly, the first public poll of the 2nd District was released last month and put Theriault ahead of Golden by 47 percent to 44 percent, with 9 percent of voters undecided. That poll also showed a drop in Golden’s net favorability. The Democrat has previously defeated Republican challengers in a district that has twice backed Trump, who endorsed Theriault.
The broader context: The U.S. Chamber of Commerce drew the ire of Trump and other Republicans in recent years for endorsing Democrats and supporting policies on issues such as immigration and tax reform that have not neatly aligned with the prevailing GOP positions.
The group’s endorsements have still skewed to the right, such as when it endorsed roughly 190 Republicans and 30 Democrats in the 2020 election cycle. The chamber’s affiliated political action committee has donated $4,500 to Golden’s reelection campaign this cycle, per federal campaign finance records.
What they’re saying: “Growing up as a son of small-business owners, I learned at a young age the value of entrepreneurship and hard work,” Golden said Wednesday in a news release on the endorsement. “I also learned about the important role small businesses play, not just as job creators but as valuable members of the community in other ways.”
