The Democratic incumbent of Maine’s deep-purple 2nd Congressional District, Golden has described himself as one of the most bipartisan members of Congress. Now, he said he wants to “basically reject party loyalty” as a member of the lower chamber’s centrist Blue Dog Coalition. One of the country’s most maverick lawmakers, Sen. Joe Manchin (I-WV), is also framing Golden as a lawmaker who governs according to his independent framework, according to a report from Politico. 

Calling Golden “the best of the best,” Manchin said he would work to help Golden “anyway I can.”

With Golden among multiple vulnerable Democrats battling to keep their seats, the Republican Party is eying a chance to expand its footprint in both chambers of Congress.

“I’m with him 1,000%,” the independent West Virginian lawmaker said as he committed to trying to “create support for the middle.” 

The senator from West Virginia has famously collided with caucus leadership over Democratic pet priorities unpopular with his red-leaning constituency. Manchin left the Democratic Party earlier this year to register as an independent, citing his wish to “put country before party.” 

Similar to Manchin, who has often defended his state from the progressive environmental agenda, Golden has challenged Democratic Party elders over energy and climate policy.

Golden said he prefers debating the merits of affordable energy over the virtues of pushing a “climate crisis” agenda because that’s what he believes his constituents want.  

“They’re not committed to an energy focus that’s about American energy strength, about making an effort to bring new energy sources and technology to America rather than buying from China or from even our allies in Europe,” the congressman from Maine said. “That’s what I’m for, whether it’s oil and gas, or nuclear, or wind or solar, all the above, all great as long as it’s all made in America.”

“I don’t want to talk about a climate bill, I’m not doing any more of that,” Golden continued. Following through on his promise would mean bucking one of his party’s top priorities after the election.  

Golden was one of only a handful of House Democrats to back Republican-led legislation that reduced environmental regulations and focused on fossil fuel development. 

And when he voted for the Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act, he framed it as a centrist Manchin move. 

“I voted for a bill that was drafted by Joe Manchin,” the Democratic representative reflected. 

Manchin is finishing out his final term in the Senate after announcing last November that he would not seek reelection. 

But Golden wants to pick up the West Virginian’s mantle of centrist leadership in Congress by rebuilding the House’s Blue Dog Coalition, a group of centrist Democratic lawmakers whose influence has waned in recent years. 

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“We basically reject party loyalty, the idea that there should be some kind of national party with a series of cascading litmus tests and everyone’s gotta follow suit,” Golden said of the group. “I view us as much more populist. … It’s about establishing leverage and exerting force and power, political power, for very specific means.”

Golden’s words come as he is in the fight of his life to fend off a challenge from Republican Austin Theriault. The Democratic incumbent narrowly trails his GOP rival in recent polling.