I’m grieved to hear that Congressman Jared Golden won’t be running for reelection. He has been a giant who fought the systemic ineptitude, corruption and outright dysfunction in Washington, D.C.  I’ll miss him.

Congressman Golden couldn’t be bullied. He couldn’t be led by the nose. He couldn’t be pushed from behind. Having seen military service in Iraq and Afghanistan, I guess there was nobody and nothing left for him to be afraid of.

I don’t want my congressional representatives to agree with me on every issue. I don’t want them to be slaves of focus groups, reader surveys or polling results. I want them to make the best decisions they can with the best information available to them. Jared Golden was one congressman who followed his moral compass. That’s all one can ask of any man.

For Congressman Golden’s sake, I’m glad he’s decided to leave the political fray and to spend more time with his family. But personally, I’m sad to see him go. He was one national figure — and there are so very few of them — who fought relentlessly, implacably, for the people.

Congressman Jared Golden gave us what he had. We should thank him for his service on our behalf. May he find rest now, and healing, and may God bless him.

Steve Turner
Mechanic Falls