One of the many mysteries that will be sorted out in the months ahead is what U.S. Rep. Jared Golden plans for the 2026 campaign. Golden, a Lewiston Democrat in Maine’s hotly contested 2nd Congressional District, has a lot of options.

He could run for a fifth term in his difficult district — and probably will — but he is surely considering whether he ought to run instead for the U.S. Senate or for governor.

The entry of former Gov. Paul LePage into the congressional race probably makes it a little more likely Golden will try to stay in the House. He would beat LePage, who barely won the district during his 2022 gubernatorial run against Democrat Janet Mills. Golden that year ran substantially better than Mills and he consistently shows surprising strength among independent voters as well as among Republicans who aren’t diehards.

With control of the House in question during next year’s election, Golden is going to be reluctant to make a choice that hurts his party’s chances of snatching control. The prospect of LePage as the guy whose win hands the House to the GOP is not something any Democrat, even Golden, would want to risk.

Even so, LePage may not be the Republicans’ congressional candidate. He hasn’t won an election since 2014 and didn’t come across as a strong contender when he ran in 2022. Memorable as he is, LePage is from the past and isn’t anybody’s idea of the future.

Golden also must look at what’s best for him. Who wants to spend a lifetime in the U.S. House? It’s a miserable job that requires, in the few dozen competitive districts, nearly nonstop fundraising, endless campaigning, a barrage of smears and the likelihood that voters at some point won’t stick with the incumbent.

The U.S. Senate is a better gig in almost every way. But winning a Senate seat next year likely requires that Golden defeat longtime incumbent Susan Collins, a Republican who has rolled over every challenger. Nobody doubts that Golden would have a chance to win. He’s proven he can rack up votes from more than just Democrats. It appears, though, that even if the Democrats snatched away Collins’ seat, they have little chance of seizing control of the Senate. That matters.

The governor’s race is clearly attractive for Golden, who has two young daughters. Living in the Blaine House would give him a lot more family time, which he loves, and the opportunity to try to overhaul the way Maine’s state government operates.

The biggest obstacle? It’s not clear that Democrats would choose Golden in a gubernatorial primary. Party loyalists, especially in the 1st District, view him as unreliable and nowhere near liberal enough. But, of course, they do want to win the general election.

Then there’s one more serious possibility for Golden: he might just quit politics.

I’ve known Golden since he was a state lawmaker. He’s never been all that entranced with holding office or being some kind of big shot. He loathes the way so many officeholders are pretentious phonies. He’s one of the few folks in politics who could step away from it all without much heartache.

In short, I have no idea what Golden is going to do. I suspect he’s not sure yet either.