Maine's Second Congressional District Debate

PORTLAND (WGME) – Democratic Congressman Jared Golden and his Republican challenger Austin Theriault will face off in their first debate Thursday night.

During the debate, CBS13 will review what the candidates have said and bring you the facts.

————————————————– ————————————————– ———————————

CLAIM: Golden says he was one of the most independent and bipartisan members of Congress.

FACT CHECK: The Lugar Center-McCourt School Bipartisan Index ranked Golden as the 30th nonpartisan representative in 2023.

————————————————– ————————————————– ———————————

CLAIM: Austin Theriault claims that Jared Golden has flipped his support for the lobster industry.

FACT CHECK: Golden supported the Inflation Reduction Act, a sweeping piece of legislation aimed at reducing consumer costs and combating climate change.

It also donated money to NOAA, which is implementing new regulations for lobster fishermen to protect endangered right whales.

However, Golden has long supported protecting the lobster fishery and has repeatedly called on NOAA to delay new regulations.

Golden also introduced a bill in 2023 that would ban commercial development of offshore wind energy in an area of ​​the Gulf of Maine.

————————————————– ————————————————– ———————————

CLAIM: Jared Golden says he did not support Biden’s “Build Back Better Proposal.”

FACT CHECK: That's true. According to the New York Times, Golden was the only Democrat who did not support it.

————————————————– ————————————————– ———————————

CLAIM: Theriault says when Jared Golden first ran for Congress, he said he supported free trade.

FACT CHECK:That's true.

In October 2018, Golden was asked about the steel and aluminum tariffs imposed by then-President Donald Trump and said the following:

“I believe it is time to rethink trade agreements that have moved good-paying American jobs overseas. Tariffs can be part of the discussion when other countries are not fair trading partners. This is not the case with our most important steel trading partners in Europe. Specifically, these tariffs will not help Maine workers or businesses and will increase the cost of equipment and other supplies in Maine. I would support tariffs that target countries that have poor labor practices, lax environmental standards, or manipulate their currency. Another way to help American steelworkers would be to prioritize American steel and labor in federally funded infrastructure projects. If we want to rebuild America, we should use American steel and American workers.”

In September 2024, Golden wrote an editorial in the Bangor Daily News explaining why he now supports a bill that would impose a 10% tariff on all imports.

————————————————– ————————————————– ———————————

CLAIM: Golden says Austin Theriault voted against investing in mental health while serving in the Legislature last April following the mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine.

FACT CHECK: That's correct. Theriault voted against the supplemental budget, which included significant investments in mental health services across the state.

But Theriault says he voted against other aspects of the bill, which also cut Gov. Janet Mills' proposed investments in state police and reduced the number of new law enforcement positions from 32 to 16.

————————————————– ————————————————– ———————————

CLAIM: Golden says Austin Theriault voted against the supplemental budget that included millions of dollars to help fishermen get back on their feet after destructive storms last winter.

FACT CHECK: That's true.

The same supplemental budget included $60 million for storm relief after devastating storms hit Maine.

————————————————– ————————————————– ———————————

CLAIM: Theriault claims: “The development of offshore wind power…will lead to the deaths of more of these whales.”

FACT CHECK: That's wrong.

NOAA has stated that no whale deaths so far have been attributed to offshore wind energy activity.

One of the study leaders at the School of Marine Sciences told the I-Team that these windmills “are not factors for entanglement” for the right whale.

From the Associated Press: Although opponents of offshore wind projects blame them for the spate of whale deaths on the East Coast over the past 13 months, authorities say climate change is the biggest threat to right whales. They and other scientific agencies say there is no evidence that preparatory work for offshore wind turbines harms or kills whales.

————————————————– ————————————————– ———————————

CLAIM: Jared Golden says his record is clear. He 100 percent supports women's reproductive rights.

FACT CHECK:This seems to be generally true.

Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life American gives Golden an “F” and says he has “consistently voted to eliminate or prevent protections for unborn children and children born alive after failed abortions.” Rep. Golden voted to ban funding of abortions by taxpayers at home and abroad, including by redefining long-standing protections against abortion funding to allow taxpayer funding of abortion travel expenses. Rep. Golden has worked to ensure that radical abortion ideology can be infused into all areas of the United States government.”

————————————————– ————————————————– ———————————

CLAIM: Austin Theriault says Jared Golden voted against Trump's border wall.

FACT CHECK:That's correct. Jared Golden voted for a bill that would end the state of emergency declared by former President Donald Trump at the U.S.-Mexico border to build a wall there.

However, just this year, Jared Golden voted to invest in a border wall as part of the Secure the Border Act of 2023. This legislation ultimately failed.

HR2 – Secure the Border Act of 2023

Golden has voted alongside Republicans in the past for investments in border security.