Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine) said Wednesday that his party is giving in to "the demands far-left groups are making" to shut the government down as a display of opposition to President Trump.
Why it matters: It's a direct contradiction of Democratic leadership's message that Trump is responsible for the shutdown for refusing to come to the table and negotiate on health care.
- Golden was the only House Democrat to vote for Republicans' stopgap spending bill earlier this month, though Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-Wash.), whose vote wasn't recorded, said she supported it as well.
- Senate Democrats filibustered the measure, however, and are demanding the extension of expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies.
What he's saying: "This government shutdown is the result of hardball politics driven by the demands far-left groups are making for Democratic Party leaders to put on a show of their opposition to President Trump," Golden said in a statement.
- Golden said he agrees with the demands Democrats are making, specifically extending ACA tax credits and rolling back Medicaid cuts from the "big, beautiful bill."
- However, he said: "The shutdown is hurting Americans and ... normal policy disagreements are no reason to subject our constituents to the continued harm of this shutdown."
The other side: "House Democrats have consistently made clear that we will sit down with anyone at any time in any place to negotiate a bipartisan agreement," House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said at a press conference when asked about Golden's comments.
- "Health care is not a partisan issue," he added. "It's an American issue. When you strip away health care from everyday Americans, that impacts Democrats, independents and Republicans alike."
Between the lines: Golden, the former co-chair of the centrist Blue Dog Coalition, represents one of the most conservative districts of any House Democrat and often positions himself to the right of his party.
- He declined to commit to support Joe Biden or Kamala Harris in last year's presidential election, and he's expressed steadfast support for Trump's tariffs.
- He has also criticized his party's messaging tactics, slamming fellow Democrats for getting into physical confrontations with federal law enforcement as part of efforts to scrutinize the president's immigration policies.
