LEWISTON — Along with at least 10 other New England Democrats, U.S. Rep. Jared Golden of Lewiston received a bomb threat at his home on Thanksgiving.

U.S. Rep. Jared Golden, D-2nd District, at his home Oct. 3 in Lewiston. Brianna Soukup/Portland Press Herald file

The Washington Times reported Wednesday that Golden was one of “several East Coast Democrats” threatened that day via an email message signed ‘MAGA,’” a commonly used shorthand for “Make America Great Again,” a campaign slogan used by President-elect Donald Trump.

Golden told The Times he did not know who issued the threat and that it might have come from a foreign IP address, information that details where emails may have originated.

Golden’s office said Thursday the congressman and his family “are very grateful for the exceptional response from the Lewiston Police Department” in the wake of the bomb threat.

According to a spokeswoman for U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-1st District, she has not received similar threats.

President Joe Biden told reporters in late November the FBI was investigating the spate of bomb threats against elected officials.

At the time, the Democrats’ House leader, U.S. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York, issued a public statement that several members from his party as well as “their families and law enforcement officials were targeted with violent threats.”

“These incidents ranged from detailed threats of a pipe bomb placed in mailboxes to swatting, all signed with ‘MAGA’ at the conclusion of the message,” Jeffries said. “Thanks to the swift reaction from law enforcement, no devices were found and members of Congress and their families were kept safe on the holiday.”

In his statement, Jeffries said: “America is a democracy” and “threats of violence against elected officials are unacceptable, unconscionable and have no place in a civilized society.”

NBC News reported that five Connecticut House members, all Democrats, had been targeted, as well as U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut. In addition, it said U.S. Reps. Seth Moulton and Lori Trahan of Massachusetts and Seth Magaziner of Rhode Island were threatened. All three are Democrats.

U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, another Democrat, was also threatened, ABC News reported.

U.S. Rep. Jahana Hayes, one of the Connecticut Democrats, said on social media she got word early on Thanksgiving morning that local police received an email telling them a pipe bomb had been placed in her mailbox. None was found when police responded to the scene, she said.

The Washington Times reported there has been “a surge in bomb threats and swatting incidents against lawmakers” from both parties since Election Day — Nov. 5, 2024. Members of President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming administration have also received “false alarms about pipe bombs or dangerous swatting stunts” that sent police racing to a target’s residence after callers falsely reported dangerous situations.

It is a growing problem.

U.S. Capitol Police Chief J. Thomas Manger told the U.S. Senate’s Rules and Administration Committee last month his officers had to deal with swatting incidents involving more 50 members of Congress since the election.

“We’ve got to look at what we can do to enhance people’s security not only when they’re here on campus but when they’re off-campus and in their home districts,” Manger told senators.

Golden, who is in his third term in the House of Representatives, told the Washington newspaper that both parties should lower the heat in a bid to improve the situation. He said Democrats should avoid saying Trump’s victory could lead to the end of democracy and Republicans should steer clear of calling Democrats “dangerous socialists.”

“Both sides could stop,” Golden said.

Whatever the cause, Manger said Capitol Police are now handling more than 8,000 threats annually. He said the danger requires his agency to change the way it operates.

“The old approach of member protection has been replaced by the need to protect a member’s environment, as well as a member’s family,” he testified.

Jeffries said, “It is imperative that Congress provide maximum protection for all members and their families moving forward.”

Manger said the Capitol Police must become “a more protective agency, one that concentrates on protecting members, their families and staff throughout the country, not merely in Washington, D.C.”

He told senators, “Keeping you and your families safe is my paramount objective.”

Golden won a narrow reelection in November over Republican Austin Theriault of Fort Kent. He has represented Maine’s 2nd District since defeating Bruce Poliquin in 2018 in the nation’s first ranked-choice voting race for a congressional seat.