Jared Golden and Austin Theriault face off in 2nd District debate: Here are the takeaways

Maine Rep. Austin Theriault, R-Fort Kent, and U.S. Rep. Jared Golden, D-2. District, discuss issues in the second of three debates between candidates for U.S. Congress in Maine's 2nd District. The debate was hosted by News Center Maine. Screenshot of the News Center Maine feed

In their second debate in less than a week, Democratic U.S. Rep. Jared Golden on Monday accused Republican state Rep. Austin Theriault of being hypocritical and blame-shifting on gun rightse is responsible for state solar subsidies, which are overseen by the Maine Legislature.

During a discussion about guns, Golden criticized Theriault for touting support from gun rights groups and claiming to be a Second Amendment advocate, even though the Aroostook County Republican called police to report a man carrying an AR-15. Carried rifle on own porch.

“Austin, as a candidate, will say that the Second Amendment is sacrosanct — that it is inviolable — and that it cannot be violated,” Golden said, describing what he called a nuanced approach to guns and public safety. “But in his personal life he knows it’s more complex. He actually called the police because he saw someone standing on the porch with an AR-15. … He obviously understands that there is a discrepancy here.”

Theriault, whose campaign angered Golden for announcing his support for an assault weapons ban after the mass shooting in Lewiston last fall, defended his response. Theriault repeated his campaign's claim that he believed the man was involved in an altercation with a group of people.

“I am a law-abiding citizen and believe it is important to notify law enforcement if you see something involving someone unlawfully using a weapon or a confrontation that results in violence,” Theriault said.

Golden, a 42-year-old former Marine and combat veteran, is running for his fourth term in the U.S. House of Representatives. He is being challenged by Theriault, a 30-year-old former NASCAR driver who is finishing his first two-year term in the State House.

The 2nd Congressional District race is one of the few swing contests in the country this year. Golden is one of 13 Democrats holding a seat in a congressional district won by former Republican President Donald Trump in 2020.

Republicans are optimistic about their chances of winning the seat with Trump on the ballot again this year. Golden has won two of his elections through ranked-choice voting, beating an incumbent Republican by 1 percentage point in 2018 and winning by 6 points in each of his last two elections.

This year he faces a brave challenge from a younger opponent who is something of a minor celebrity. Theriault is a former NASCAR driver who received early support from Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. It crisscrosses the sprawling district, the largest east of the Mississippi, which includes most of central and northern Maine.

Golden and Theriault met on stage for the first time Thursday. During a debate hosted by WGME and the Bangor Daily News, the two argued over reproductive rights, gun rights, the southern border and Golden's support of the Inflation Reduction Act.

Monday's debate was moderated by Rob Caldwell of News Center Maine and co-sponsored by the Maine State Chamber of Commerce.

Here are some takeaways from the debate:

CLEAN ENERGY

Theriault repeatedly argued that high energy costs are putting a strain on household and business budgets. He called for more oil and gas production and said nuclear energy should be the country's clean energy priority – but he wouldn't say whether he would support a nuclear power plant in Maine. “We’re getting ahead of ourselves,” he said.

Asked what the U.S. can do to curb emissions, Theriault said the country should crack down on countries like China and India that don't prioritize reducing emissions.

Theriault also blamed the Inflation Reduction Act, which Golden supported, for driving up prices and incentivizing solar and offshore wind energy – the latter of which has raised concerns among Maine's lobster industries.

But when Theriault said solar incentives would drive up the cost of electricity for ratepayers, Golden pointed out that the net energy billing program was created by and is overseen by the state Legislature.

“You're paying for it because of the way the Legislature worded it and you failed to change it and now ratepayers are paying,” Golden said. “It is the failure of the state parliament, and you are trying to blame it on me.”

We help working families

Theriault blamed runaway federal spending, including the Inflation Reduction Act, for inflation that made it difficult for families to buy food, gasoline and other essentials. To combat federal spending, he said he would ask federal agencies to justify every penny instead of building one budget over the next, known as zero budgeting, where he would exclude national defense as well as Social Security and Medicare.

Theriault said he does not support changes to the tax code, meaning he would vote to continue Trump's 2017 tax cuts, which analysts said benefited the richest Americans.

“We don’t have a tax problem,” he said. “We have a spending problem.”

Golden, meanwhile, said he would seek to improve the existing child tax credit to help struggling families and advocate for federal grants to promote public-private partnerships for child care providers.

He also advocated raising taxes on the wealthiest Americans as a way to save on Social Security and Medicare, while pointing to the health care savings included in the Inflation Reduction Act.

ABORTION

Abortion has been a flashpoint since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Roe v. Wade has revoked the protection granted for 50 years.

Theriault, who described himself as pro-life, said he would not support federal laws on abortion, be it a federal ban, a limit on when an abortion can be performed (e.g. after 12 or 16 weeks) or anything else in between .

“I don’t support federal legislation,” he said. “This is a federal legal issue and voters will decide.”

Golden, meanwhile, said he has supported a bill that would codify the protections in Roe V. Wade.

“I’m 100% pro-choice,” Golden said.

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