Jared Golden

BDN Exclusive Politics Our political journalists are based in the Maine State House and have deep source networks across the partisan spectrum in communities all over the state. Their coverage aims to cut through major debates and probe how officials make decisions. Read more Politics coverage here . State Auditor Matt Dunlap sharply criticized U.S. Rep. Jared Golden, the outgoing Democrat whose 2nd District seat he’s trying to win, at an Orono event last week. Dunlap faulted the more moderate Golden for questioning his viability last year and for several votes in which Golden sided with the Republican House majority. The comments showed Dunlap’s willingness to take a more progressive stand while knocking a fellow Democrat whose swing voters could help him fend off former Gov. Paul LePage in a tight race for the conservative-leaning district. The Republican’s team seized on them to paint Dunlap as out of step, and Golden said the remarks said the Democrat looks “scared of losing.” “I don’t think he’s going to endorse me,” Dunlap said of Golden, according to audio of the event at the University of Maine in Orono obtained by the Bangor Daily News. “In fact, he probably has gone through several cases of Matt Dunlap voodoo dolls, tearing limbs off them.” His comments at the event traced the months between Dunlap airing a primary bid against Golden last spring, his October decision to run citing the four-term congressman’s vote for a Republican-backed bill requiring proof of residency at the polls and Golden’s November decision to not seek another term . Dunlap told attendees that he’d been approached about challenging Golden about a year and a half ago after the congressman “kind of went [missing in action]” and Democratic supporters were concerned “he might lose the next election.” After he announced last year he was exploring a run to make sure the support behind him was genuine, it “blew up and Jared said a lot of things to the press about my viability.” Just after Dunlap announced he was exploring a run, Golden said he “has a small chance of beating me, but zero chance of beating Paul LePage.” National Democrats backed state Sen. Joe Baldacci, D-Bangor, in the June primary. But Dunlap won, and party leaders in Maine and in Washington eventually rallied behind him in what is shaping up to be a strong year for the party. He is now in their “ Red to Blue ” program. At the Orono event, Dunlap went on to say Golden had received “a pass” on many votes because of the makeup of the district. But he said Golden went too far by becoming the deciding vote against two Iran war powers resolutions , not doing enough to preserve healthcare subsidies and often being “the only Democrat voting with Republicans on their agenda.” Listen to Matt Dunlap’s comments about U.S. Rep. Jared Golden in Orono “It’s no secret that Matt and Jared don’t see eye to eye on everything,” Dunlap spokesperson Harry Burke told the BDN. “But as these comments show, Matt Dunlap is laser