• By William TracyWilliam Tracy
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Waterfront

PROSPECT HARBOR — Measuring limits and government oversight were some of the concerns brought up during State Rep. Austin Theriault’s (R-Fort Kent) roundtable discussion with lobster fishermen in Prospect Harbor last week.

Theriault, endorsed by former President Donald Trump, is challenging incumbent Democrat Jared Golden for Maine’s 2nd Congressional District. The talk gave fishermen a chance to directly express industry concerns to Theriault as well as learn more about his political platform. The candidate visited Ellsworth businesses earlier in the day.

“Don’t let this collared shirt fool you — the Theriaults have been working in the woods for five generations,” he said. “I know there’s a lot of differences between the lobster industry and ours, but one thing we have in common is that it’s more challenging than ever to be a part of them. We deal with a lot of the bureaucracy you deal with, so I have a soft spot for the struggles you guys face.”

Theriault, 30, highlighted the lack of young workers from his generation and beyond willing to overcome these challenges and bureaucratic hurdles.

“At this rate, there’s not going to be anybody from the next generation that’s going to step up and take these businesses over from their family,” Theriault said. “They don’t want to deal with the headache, and there’s just not as much money in it anymore for them to want to do that.”

“I want to make sure this industry is protected,” he continued. “I know a lot of people come to town and say the same thing, yet nothing happens. I want to show that I’m here today to listen to you, because no one is a bigger expert.”

Theriault highlighted what he said is a disconnect between state government in Augusta to frontline workers of outdoor-based professions.

“A lot of these professions are misunderstood and neglected by the wheels of government,” Theriault said. “They’ve never set foot on a boat or been in the woods. They just go off what a book says and think they are doing the right thing. We need to get our message to the right people and let them know that’s not the way we should be conducting our government. We need them to have our back, not the other way around.”

One attendee proposed a board of sitting fishermen and industry leaders rather than a single commissioner for making regulatory decisions.

“Why not have a board and not an appointed commissioner who doesn’t have background in these industries?” he asked. “So, we have people who know what everything is about actually running things.”

“That’s too good of an idea,” another quipped.

Much discussion centered around the new lobster measuring requirements. In an effort to combat diminishing annual hauls (which fell from a high of 132.6 million pounds in 2016 to 93.7 million last year) and the expected continued migration of lobsters north away from warm waters due to climate change, fishing regulators are instituting a new rule that will increase the minimum size of gauges fisherman use to measure lobsters to 3 5/16 inches or 8.4 centimeters. This will further restrict hauls and cut back on profits, those in attendance said.

“This measuring increase has a good chance of putting me out of the job as a stern man,” one attendee said.

Theriault expressed his plans to cut back on government oversight as well as keeping the struggles of these industry workers at the forefront of government concern.

Other critical issues frequently brought up are the encroaching regulations and allocation of offshore windmills and whale conservation routes. Recently, the Biden Administration called for increased measures concerning wind-powered energy throughout the U.S., the Maine coastline being no exception. The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management allocated a designated offshore wind leasing area for the state, which was soon amended in light of criticism to prevent obstruction of Maine’s most valuable offshore waters. Still, the issue remains a looming concern for industry workers who fear further encroachment.

“I don’t know whose genius idea it was to put an electric windmill right in the middle of the ocean surrounded by salt water,” an attendee said. “They can’t even keep them running in the woods, so I don’t know how they plan for them to work there.”

Strict new regulations concerning the conservation of the endangered North American right whale control where lobstermen can fish and what gear they use.

“They want to put trackers in our boats like we’re criminals,” another attendee said.

According to his campaign’s official website, Theriault is committed to “making Maine’s 2nd Congressional District a better place for working-class Mainers to live.” He said his platform champions rural conservative values and advocates for limited government intervention.

“These are complex problems; we need to get these issues discussed and not just kick the can down the road for later,” Theriault said. “Because later on these issues are going to come up again. We need to make sure we are on top of it.”

Comprising nearly 80% of the state’s total land area, Maine’s 2nd Congressional District encompasses most of the land north of Portland. It is the second-most rural district in the U.S.

By Evan Sharrard

Published: Jul. 31, 2024 at 2:17 PM EDT | Updated: 19 hours ago

BANGOR, Maine (WABI) – The Republican candidate for Maine’s Second Congressional District, Austin Theriault, announced Wednesday the launch of Veterans for Austin.

Theriault was joined in Bangor by veterans and coalition co-chair Lance Harvell.

Harvell is a veteran and a former state senator.

The veterans talked about current issues they’re facing including access to rural transportation and the process of applying for benefits.

“If you call the VA or you want to talk to a real human, you don’t want to talk to, you know somebody on the phone, who doesn’t understand what you’re going through.” Theriault said. “And it’s very frustrating and confusing for these [veterans] that are up there in age; they can’t get on the computer they can’t you know, get on a smart phone and fill out an application. They want to talk to somebody; they need some face-to-face time, and we can’t forget those veterans.”

Theriault also talked about the importance of bipartisanship to accomplish more for veterans.

Copyright 2024 WABI. All rights reserved.

By: AnnMarie Hilton – July 17, 2024 

 (Getty Images)

In his bid for another term representing Maine’s 2nd Congressional District, Democrat Jared Golden has raised more money than his Republican challenger, but he’s not bringing in as much from Maine donors. 

As of June 30, Golden raised nearly $4.8 million including loans, compared to the $1.7 million raised by Austin Theriault, who is running for Congress after serving his first term in the Maine House of Representatives, according to Federal Election Commission data. 

Golden received almost $4 million from individual donors and more than $500,000 from political action committees.

Though Golden is outpacing Theriault in almost every category, the Republican from Fort Kent has been more successful in gathering donations from individual donors within Maine. Theriault raised more than $560,000 from donors in Maine, whereas Golden is about $100,000 behind with $465,000 from Maine donors. 

Golden has still received more money from donors in Maine than any other one state, but Massachusetts is a close second with individual donations totaling $403,000. After Maine, Theriault has received the second most individual donations from Florida with nearly $145,000.

Maine’s 1st Congressional District

Although the race for Maine’s 1st Congressional District is bringing in less money than the other U.S. House race, incumbent Chellie Pingree, a Democrat, is significantly outpacing her Republican challenger, Ron Russell. 

Russell hasn’t reported any donations from PACs and only about $3,400 in individual donations from Mainers. 

U.S. Senate race

U.S. Sen. Angus King, an independent, raised almost $5 million in his race against Republican Demi Kouzounas, former chair of the Maine GOP, who raised a little more than $500,000. 

King has also been successful in gathering donations from individuals in Maine, hauling in about $1.2 million from them. 

by Billy Kobin June 26, 2024

AUGUSTA, Maine — Social Security and Medicare have been frequent topics of debate in Maine’s aging 2nd Congressional District over the past decade, and U.S. Rep. Jared Golden’s Republican challenger is leaning into them early in his general election race.

In an online campaign video released Monday, state Rep. Austin Theriault, a former NASCAR driver from Fort Kent, vowed to “protect your Social Security and Medicare” alongside mentions of border security and easing high costs as top priorities if he is elected in November over Golden, a third-term Democrat from Lewiston in one of the nation’s most competitive districts.

It is a nod to the population in the oldest of the two congressional districts in Maine, the nation’s oldest state by median age. Theriault will face questions over the issue as the campaign goes on, since many House Republicans have long called for raising the Social Security retirement age and reshaping Medicare to shave down ballooning costs.

“In Congress, he’ll oppose any effort, bill, or budget that cuts Social Security or Medicare, even if that means standing up to members of his own party,” Theriault campaign manager Shawn Roderick said in a statement.

Theriault’s language is similar to that used in recent years by former President Donald Trump, who endorsed the Maine Republican ahead of his easy win in this month’s primary. But a House Republican Select Committee budget plan calls for “modest adjustments” to Social Security to account for rising life expectancy. It would turn Medicare into a “premium support model” that would give beneficiaries subsidies to use on preferred private policies.

The proposals come amid projections showing Medicare will become insolvent in 2028 and Social Security in 2033. For those born in 1960 or later, limited Social Security retirement benefits can start as early as age 62 before full benefits kick in at age 67. Medicare is the federal health care program chiefly for those 65 and older.

Golden, who voted against President Joe Biden more than any other House Democrat in 2023, responded in a Tuesday statement by accusing Theriault of “talking out of both sides of his mouth.” 

He noted the Republican has criticized Golden’s support of the Inflation Reduction Act, which capped the cost of insulin at $35 for Medicare patients, capped out-of-pocket drug costs at $2,000 for older Americans and let Medicare negotiate drug prices. Criticism of that vote from Theriault and Republicans has focused mostly on environmental provisions.

“If we already know he can’t be trusted to help keep seniors’ Medicare prescription drug prices down, why should Mainers trust anything he says about protecting our Social Security?” Golden said of Theriault.

Social Security and Medicare have been wedge issues in past 2nd District campaigns. Former Rep. Bruce Poliquin, a Republican ousted by Golden in 2018, always emphasized he would never vote to reduce benefits for those already or soon to be in the system. But he was open to raising the retirement age and generally supported his party’s budget plans.

That is how House Republicans continue to discuss the issue. The Select Committee plan would also phase out additional benefits for high-income recipients and “not cut or delay retirement benefits for any senior in or near retirement.”

The budget document did not give more specifics on the “modest adjustments” to the Social Security age. Republicans, particularly former House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, have also put forward but failed to pass similar Medicare overhauls for years while rejecting tax increases or transfers to pay for them.

Maine Public | By Kevin Miller

Published June 11, 2024 at 10:18 PM EDT

Former NASCAR driver Austin Theriault has won the Republican nomination to challenge Democratic U.S. Rep. Jared Golden this fall in Maine’s closely watched 2nd Congressional District.

The Associated Press called the race for Theriault about an hour after the polls closed in Maine. Early returns showed the 30-year-old Fort Kent native with a large lead over his primary opponent, Mike Soboleski of Phillips.

Both men are first-term legislators in the Maine House who campaigned on conservative issues such as the economy and inflation, border security and government overspending.

But Theriault raised roughly 10 times as much money as Soboleski. He also picked up endorsements from former President Donald Trump, U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson and leaders of the National Republican Congressional Committee as well as local officials in Maine. That huge financial advantage allowed him to run a more aggressive ground campaign in the sprawling 2nd District and to advertise heavily on TV and radio.

Theriault’s win sets up a fall contest between a young, former NASCAR driver and Golden, a 41-year-old Marine Corps veteran who is seeking a fourth term in Congress.

Speaking to several dozen supporters at Dysart’s Restaurant in Bangor, Theriault said many 2nd District voters feel disenfranchised and forgotten in today’s political climate.

“The working people here in Maine feel left behind and it has been going on for too long,” Theriault said. “We need more voices in DC, we need more voices around the state that are willing to stand up and speak up for what’s right, speak up for the people who sacrifice and work hard every single day for their families and are not getting help right now. Now is our time to fight back against what is going on.”

Golden is a moderate Democrat who has split with his party leadership and President Joe Biden more than any other member of the Democratic caucus in the House. But like many rural areas, the 2nd District has become increasingly conservative, as evidenced by Trump’s victories there in both 2016 and 2020.

Theriault raced for more than a decade at local tracks and on regional circuits before getting his first start in a top-level NASCAR race in 2019. But he was forced to curtail the season after being injured in a chain reaction crash after several races.

Two years later, he opted to step out of the driver’s seat and focus on the business side of racing, especially on driver development. He has emphasized that business experience as well as his endorsement by Trump throughout his campaign.

He has portrayed Golden as being too cozy with Biden’s priorities and contends that a Republican representative will better reflect the priorities of 2nd District voters. He also pledged, if elected, to support the Trump agenda on border security, drug trafficking and supporting manufacturing.

“The question I have to ask us is do we want Jared Golden representing our district for another two years, electing a very liberal progressive Speaker of the House, knowing that the agenda that those people are going to push across are detrimental to the 2nd District?” Theriault said in his Bangor victory speech. “We need a common-sense, forward-looking, business-minded conservative representing the 2nd District here.”

At age 30, Theriault is six years younger than Golden was when he won his first election to Congress. Since his first election in 2018, Golden has established himself as a moderate in a Democratic Party increasingly controlled by progressives.

He last won reelection in 2022 with 53% of the vote following a ranked-choice runoff with former Republican U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin.

AUGUSTA, Maine (BDN) — Former NASCAR driver Austin Theriault easily defeated fellow state lawmaker Mike Soboleski in Tuesday’s Republican primary for Maine’s 2nd Congressional District, setting up a showdown with U.S. Rep. Jared Golden in November.

Theriault, a 30-year-old first-term state representative from Fort Kent who runs his own driver development business, beat Soboleski, a 67-year-old Marine veteran from Phillips whose wide-ranging career has included time as an actor, stuntman and small-business owner. 

FOLLOW TUESDAY’S RESULTS

2024 Maine primary election results

See all the results of the 2024 elections in Maine and how your community voted.

The Bangor Daily News and Decision Desk HQ, its election results partner, called the race at 8:37 p.m, when Theriault had 72.9 percent of votes to 27.1 percent for Soboleski.

“The reality is that Jared Golden and [President] Joe Biden have failed us, and we see the results every day,” Theriault said in a statement. “The 2nd District is falling farther and farther behind, and that’s not acceptable to me.”

Theriault had a leg up on Soboleski upon entering the race last year with financial support and backing from national Republicans. He outraised Soboleski 10 to 1 in part due to a March endorsement from former President Donald Trump, who twice won the 2nd District and is seeking to beat Biden despite a felony conviction and other pending cases.

Theriault comfortably won Tuesday’s race while his allies leveled late attacks on his opponent. On Tuesday, a super PAC supporting him compared Soboleski to Biden and misleadingly claimed that he supports abortion rights, even though the underdog candidate expressed support for restrictive “heartbeat bills” that ban abortion after six weeks.

While Soboleski argued he had a stronger conservative voting record than Theriault, the Trump endorsement was important in the race between two candidates who each touted their support for the ex-president and had never sought higher office. 

Theriault repeatedly highlighted Trump’s endorsement in debates, interviews and ads. His pugnacious primary campaign was far different against the one he crafted during his 2022 race for the St. John Valley seat long held by the legendary former House Speaker John Martin, a Democrat from Eagle Lake, when he backed keeping Maine’s permissive abortion laws in place.

He is primed to run aggressively against Golden in the general election, mentioning border security, support for small businesses and drug overdoses as among key issues he feels Golden and Biden are not doing enough on nationally and in the sprawling, rural 2nd District.

A Golden campaign spokesperson said the campaign was “glad for this outcome” and the November contest “is the race we wanted.“

Golden, 41, a third-term congressman and Marine veteran from Lewiston, has benefited from cross-party support during his past campaigns, even narrowly outpolling Trump in the 2nd District when they shared the ballot in 2020. He opposed Biden more than any other congressional Democrat last year, according to a CQ-Roll Call Analysis.

Yet Republicans see an opportunity to bring their voters home against Golden after he abruptly reversed himself to back a ban on so-called assault weapons after the October mass shooting in his home city. Theriault has also campaigned against the Inflation Reduction Act, a climate-tax bill championed by Biden that Golden supported last year.

Soboleski, who spent Tuesday night with a group of supporters at Margaritas Mexican Restaurant in Augusta, said he was proud of his campaign team and emphasized he will focus now on supporting Republican candidates for the Maine House of Representatives. He said he would put a statement Wednesday when asked if he would call Theriault to congratulate him.

“We unturned every stone we could,” Soboleski said. “Unfortunately it didn’t go our way, and the voters have decided what they want to do.”

At the polls in Fort Kent, Theriault’s supporters expressed pride Tuesday in his northern Maine roots while highlighting his younger age.

“He really is there to support the people,” Tracy Caron, a restaurant owner from Fort Kent, said. “We need fresh blood out there, and especially in small communities like this.”

BDN writer Christopher Bouchard contributed to this report.

BANGOR (WGME) — The Associated Press is projecting that former NASCAR driver and current Maine State Representative Austin Theriault has won the Republican Party’s nomination in Maine’s Second Congressional District Tuesday night.

• Also read: 2024 June Primary Election Results for Maine

Theriault defeated fellow Maine State Representative Mike Soboleski for the GOP nomination.

He will now move on to face Democratic incumbent Congressman Jared Golden for Golden’s seat in November.

Theriault says this is for working people across the state and now is the time to put people over politics.

He says that people are feeling forgotten and hanging on by a thread.

The 30-year-old from Fort Kent argues there needs to be leaders in Washington who know what it’s like to struggle.

• Also read: Maine Republicans gather signatures to repeal national popular vote

He also hammered on some key issues, like protecting Social Security, securing the border and addressing mental health.

Theriault touts his background in small business as something that sets himself apart from his opponents.

He argues that experience could help address a huge issue for all Americans: inflation and the economy.

“People are tired of politicians. They want results, and it’s time we get to work for them,” Theriault said.

“I know Jared’s had a pretty good voting record. He’s been careful on a few things and stuff, but he’s still voted along right with Nancy Pelosi,” voter Allen Albert said.

Maine Rep. Austin Theriault, R-Fort Kent, center, a former NASCAR driver, campaigns for Maine’s 2nd Congressional District, Wednesday, June 5, 2024, in Farmington, Maine. Theriault is running against Rep. Mike Soboleski, R-Phillips, in the Maine primary on Tuesday, June 11. The winner will face Democrat U.S. Rep. Jared Golden in November. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

• Also read: Here’s what you need to know about Maine’s primary elections, school budget proposals

“I want someone who I’m pretty sure will vote according to the principals that most Republicans stand for,” voter Anne Marie Quin said.

While this is seen as a pretty red district and went for Trump twice, this part of the state has actually been pretty blue at a federal level for a long time.

It’s something that Theriault brought up during his speech.

Theriault thinks he can drum up support from a broad coalition by talking about education, childcare, energy costs and other issues people are facing.

Soboleski was the decided underdog, both in fundraising and after former President Donald Trump endorsed his opponent.

He said he was confident in his base supporters, many of whom were veterans, hoping that with his military experience, Soboleski could unseat his fellow Marine in Golden, but that support ultimately was not enough.

Growing left-wing split on Israel and Palestine shows itself in Maine

by Michael Shepherd

Wednesday’s pro-Palestine rally in Portland’s Monument Square that led to rebukes from big-name Maine politicians was an example of a long-term trend of diminishing sympathy toward Israel on the American left.

This is something that has been measured in polling over the last decade or so. For the first time, Gallup found this year that Democrats sympathized more with Palestine than they do with Israel in the long-term Middle East conflict, bucking the U.S. foreign policy status quo.

The context: Divides between President Joe Biden and progressives illustrate this on the heels of Hamas’ brutal weekend invasion of Israel. The president defended Israel in a Tuesday speech, while some on his left “sought a more nuanced description of the escalating conflict,” as CNN put it, including a focus on Israel’s blockade of the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip.

That is what Maine saw on Wednesday. Hundreds attended a pro-Israel rally at a synagogue in Portland at the same time as the smaller downtown pro-Palestine demonstration held by left-wing groups. Notably, the Maine chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America joined the event as a sponsor, with a leader saying it was to help provide security there.

The DSA is a major player in Portland politics, racking up some victories in recent years. Nationally, it is going through a reckoning on Israel, something that Politico reported on Wednesday. Progressive members of Congress are letting memberships lapse and criticizing chapters for their roles in pro-Palestine rallies, including one in New York City.

What they’re saying: That chapter issued an apology in a statement that later focused on the right-wing Israeli government’s “escalating human rights violations and explicitly genocidal rhetoric.” In Maine, some demonstrators were clear that their support for Palestine does not extend to Hamas but still blamed Israel.

“I hope this rally doesn’t get twisted in any type of way as support for … Hamas or innocent life loss,” one demonstrator in Portland told CBS News 13. “We are saying that the U.S. needs to stop funding the Israeli military occupation and return land and liberty to the people of Palestine.”

The backlash was swift from many establishment figures in Maine. Rep. Jared Golden, a Democrat from the swing 2nd District, issued a statement denouncing the rally, although state Rep. Austin Theriault, one of Golden’s Republican opponents, said the congressman should condemn some of his more progressive colleagues. Sen. Angus King, an independent who caucuses with Democrats, did not comment.

Rep. Chellie Pingree, a progressive Democrat from the 1st District who has broken with Maine’s delegation on certain Israel-Palestine issues before, sharply condemned Hamas in a statement that said the U.S. must support Israel but that aid “must be predicated on preserving humanity and not on perpetuating greater cycles of violence.”

What’s next: That shows the official line from Democrats is reasonably united around Israel but different in tone. The trend in this debate is resembling Republican fissures on Ukraine’s war with Russia. In March, 53 of them in the Maine House of Representatives voted against a resolution of support for Ukraine.

The Israel-Palestine debate may not make it to the halls of the State House, but the timing of Wednesday’s rally and the groups involved are showing that it is at least an undercurrent in the politics of Maine’s largest city.

Maine DSA Stages Pro-Hamas Rally in Portland, Calls Terror Attacks on Israel “Morally and Legally Legitimate”

Hamas Terrorism Exposes Anti-Semitism of Extreme Left

BY EDWARD TOMIC

OCTOBER 12, 2023

UPDATED:OCTOBER 12, 2023

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As the death toll in the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict continues to rise, the Maine Democratic Socialists of America (Maine DSA) and the Communist Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL) held a rally in support of Hamas in Portland’s Monument Square Wednesday evening.

The militant Islamist organization Hamas launched a multifaceted terrorist attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, crossing over the Israel-Gaza border, including an attack on a music festival that killed at least 260 people.

“The corporate media and politicians want the public to believe that Israel is simply defending itself from ‘terrorism’ — that’s a lie,” Zach Campbell from Maine DSA, the rally’s emcee, said in his opening remarks.

“The actions of the resistance over the course of the last day is a morally and legally legitimate response to the occupation,” he said, referring to the Hamas offensive that killed over 1,300 Israelis.

Campbell led several chants to be echoed by the gathered crowd of socialists, including “When Palestine is occupied, resistance is justified,” and “Netanyahu you can’t hide, we charge you with genocide.”

A lone counter protester, Tyler Washburn of Harpswell, stood to the side of the protest carrying a sign reading “Israel deserves our support #NoToHamas.”

“When I was in high school, I had an English teacher who said if you see injustice stand up to it,” Washburn said. “After the tragedy that we saw on Saturday in Israel, I wanted to make sure that in Maine’s largest city, Mainers could at least see that other voices were represented in this discussion.”

“Overwhelmingly Mainers oppose what happened and stand with Israel, and I’m here to show that support,” he said.

“When innocent children are massacred, when moms can’t go back to their kids, dads are gone — there’s a time and place to have a civil discourse, and unfortunately I don’t think tonight is the time to be cheerleading for a side that committed atrocities,” he added.

Maine’s Democratic officials have, with a few exceptions, avoided commenting on the protest.

Democratic Maine Congressman Jared Golden issued a statement condemning the “Free Palestine” rally in Portland earlier Wednesday afternoon.

“The idea that any organization or group of people would seize upon the tragedy taking place in Israel and the suffering of the Jewish community to present a false equivalency between the government of Israel and Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran would be almost laughable were it not so sickening given the atrocities committed against the people of Israel these past few days,” Rep. Golden wrote.

“The kidnapping and public abuse, and the murder of women, children, and the elderly, even babies – entire families killed in their own homes; these are the brutal actions of Hamas, a violent militant organization elected and supported by the Palestinians living in Gaza,” Golden continued.

“There is no equivalent evil in the comparably reserved but necessarily strong military response by Israel in defense of its nation and its people,” he wrote. “Most of us would expect no less, perhaps even more if this were happening in America, and in fact, Americans have been killed and taken hostage.”

At least 22 Americans have been killed in the Israel-Hamas conflict, with at least 17 others unaccounted for, according to the U.S. State Department.

U.S. Sen. Susan Collins also denounced Wednesday’s rally, saying that the left-wing organizers “should be condemning Hamas, rather than excusing these appalling tactics.”

State Rep. Austin Theriault, R-Fort Kent, who is challenging Golden in the 2024 race for Maine’s 2nd Congressional District, blasted Golden for not calling out his party’s association with the Democratic Socialists of America.

State Rep. Mike Soboleski, R-Phillips, who is also running to unseat Golden, issued a statement Saturday, Oct. 7, condemning Hamas’ attack on Israel as “horrific and unconscionable.”

“Just weeks ago, the Biden Administration handed over $6 billion to Iran. This kind of foreign policy maleficence is unacceptable and must stop,” Rep. Soboleski said. “Israel has the right to defend itself against these terrorist attacks. I will always stand with Israel. America must always stand with Israel.”

“Tonight’s rally in Portland is a display of unacceptable hate by the left. It may be in line with Portland’s values, but it’s not in line with common sense folks in the rest of Maine,” Rep. Theriault said in his Wednesday statement.

“This is a Democratic Socialists of America rally and Jared Golden has DSA ties,” Theriault wrote. “He should have spoken out against the fact that his colleagues and their affiliated socialist groups have been taking the pro-Hamas position since the Hamas attacks, but he’s been silent for days.”

“He can’t have it both ways. Maine doesn’t need someone like Golden who won’t confront the Democratic Socialists of America on these issues — it needs some simple, effective County common sense,” he added. “We don’t act like this in Maine.”

The Maine House Republicans issued the following statement Wednesday condemning Hamas’ attack on Israel:

House Republicans join the international community in condemning the brutal attack on the people of Israel by the terrorist group Hamas. Earlier this year, the Legislature recommitted itself to combating the global rise in antisemitism. We denounce the unjustifiable killing and injuring of Jewish and other civilians without prejudice. Please join us in praying for Israel.

Democratic Rep. Chellie Pingree did not comment on the Portland rally, but issued a statement in response to the attack on Israel over the weekend.

“I am horrified by the attacks against the Israeli people and condemn them unequivocally,” Rep. Pingree wrote. “This unprovoked violence is unacceptable. Today the United States must stand beside the Israeli people on this difficult day and in the days to come.”

Sen. Angus King issued a similar statement on the attack, calling it “a deadly and dangerous escalation.”

Gov. Janet Mills told the Bangor Daily News when asked Wednesday about the rally that her “heart goes out to the people of Israel, Maine’s Jewish community and all impacted by the evil, unspeakable acts of terror carried out this weekend by Hamas”.

She did not comment directly on the rally.

Despite condemnations of the attack from Maine’s entire Congressional delegation and Gov. Mills, many of the state’s top Democratic politicians have remained silent on the conflict and have not yet responded to the left-wing groups’ Portland protest.

The Maine DSA is an active supporter of the Maine Democratic Party, yet as of Thursday Democratic State Senate President Troy Jackson (D-Allagash), the Maine Democratic Party, and House Speaker Rachel Talbot Ross (D-Portland) have remained silent on Wednesday’s protest and the conflict.

Former Portland Mayor Ethan Strimling, who regularly attends Maine DSA meetings and was recently hired for a political podcast by News Center Maine, has not condemned Wednesday evening’s rally or commented on the ongoing conflict.

The DSA and PSL were not the only left-wing groups to rally support for Palestine — the Chicago chapter of Black Lives Matter came under fire earlier this week when they shared an image appearing to represent a Hamas paratrooper with a Palestine flag.

Maine Public | By Steve Mistler

Published September 25, 2023 at 4:00 PM EDT

A third Republican has declared his candidacy for Maine’s 2nd Congressional District seat in the hopes of defeating Democratic U.S. Rep. Jared Golden.

Former NASCAR driver and current state Rep. Austin Theriault, of Fort Kent, joins Rep. Mike Soboleksi, of Phillips, and Robert Cross, of Dedham, to compete for the Republican nomination and the right to take on Golden next year.

Theriault’s candidacy has been anticipated for some time because of his public profile from NASCAR and his backing by national Republican leaders.

All three GOP candidates are expected to highlight inflation, immigration and the drug epidemic while trying to pin those problems on Golden, who is in the middle of his third term.

Golden has positioned himself as a moderate Democrat while holding Maine’s more conservative 2nd District, at times angering Democratic activists with his opposition to the American Rescue Plan and President Joe Biden’s college loan forgiveness initiative.