Democratic Maine Rep. Jared Golden is out with a new op-ed in which he predicts that former President Donald Trump will win the election and that American democracy will continue to function.
The Bangor Daily News published the piece on Tuesday under the headline “Donald Trump is going to win the election and democracy will be just fine.” In his op-ed, Golden characterized President Joe Biden’s performance in last week’s debate as “poor,” but clarified his view that Trump is likely to win in November because of the country’s economic woes more than any other factor.
“After the first presidential debate, lots of Democrats are panicking about whether President Joe Biden should step down as the party’s nominee,” Golden wrote. “Biden’s poor performance in the debate was not a surprise. It also didn’t rattle me as it has others, because the outcome of this election has been clear to me for months: While I don’t plan to vote for him, Donald Trump is going to win. And I’m OK with that.”
“There are winners and losers in every election. Democrats’ post-debate hand-wringing is based on the idea that a Trump victory is not just a political loss, but a unique threat to our democracy,” Golden continued. “I reject the premise. Unlike Biden and many others, I refuse to participate in a campaign to scare voters with the idea that Trump will end our democratic system.”
Democrats have found themselves on the defensive following Biden’s performance at the debate, in which the president was unable to finish sentences, spoke in a hoarse voice and walked with a stiff gait. In the days since, numerous liberal pundits and media outlets, and even some Democratic lawmakers, have suggested or explicitly stated that Biden should drop out of the 2024 race, but the Biden campaign and some Biden allies have either stated that he will remain on the ticket or are reportedly pushing him to stay in the race.
Golden wrote that Jan. 6 was a “dark day” for the country, but emphasized that the election certification process was completed nevertheless and the American system survived any threat it faced that day. He further stated that, if Trump wins, he will work with the former president to deliver for his constituents and ordinary Americans.
“This election is about the economy, not democracy,” Golden wrote. “And when it comes to our economy, our Congress matters far more than who occupies the White House.”
Polling data has consistently suggested that the economy and inflation, as well as immigration, are at the top of the list of voters’ concerns as Election Day approaches. Moreover, post-debate polling indicates that Biden’s performance has hurt his standing with American voters, at least for the time being.
The Biden campaign and the White House did not respond immediately to requests for comment.
