Outgoing House Democrat Jared Golden just backed a Republican for re-election. This happened right before the 2026 midterm election season starts. Golden wrote an opinion piece to explain why he picked Mike Lawler. Lawler is a Republican from New York. Golden states the nation requires fewer representatives viewing their role as a platform. He wants more members who treat it as work.
Golden calls Lawler a true partner and a friend to fishing families. He says he strongly backs him and hopes voters send him back. Lawler declared on X that accepting the endorsement of friend Democratic Congressman Jared Golden is a privilege and honor. He observed their collaboration in locating shared ground on significant matters.
It’s an honor and a privilege to accept the endorsement of my friend, Democratic Congressman Jared Golden. While we are from different parties and different states, Jared and I have worked during our time together in the House to find common ground on issues that matter both to… pic.twitter.com/PN7aRqgFvK
— Mike Lawler (@lawler4ny) September 21, 2026
Meanwhile, a different story is unfolding in Texas. Ericka Lomick was the Democrat nominee for House District 93. She quit her race on Monday. A political action committee found her old federal felony conviction for mortgage fraud. Federal court records show she admitted guilt to fraud conspiracy in 2011. She got a 63-month prison sentence for her crimes.
Lomick informed Texas Scorecard she had never faced a criminal conviction in any state. That claim turned out to be false. She stated that while the choice was difficult, she believes it serves the people of HD 93 correctly. She stepped aside so voters could elect someone without the burden of defending against attacks. Republican Alan Blaylock is now the likely winner of that seat.
These two stories show a bigger problem for Democrats this year. A former insider named Jake Altman told Fox News why he left the Democratic Socialists of America. He said the group started sounding like the extreme groups on the Left he tried to avoid. Another former fundraiser, Lindy Li, told Fox News that Kamala Harris ran a charade on major donors.
Thank you to everyone who showed up to support @CaitforNewYork last night in Tarrytown — the energy was tremendous.
Cait has exactly the kind of toughness we need right now in Congress. While serving in the Army, she deployed to combat zones six times, earned three bronze… pic.twitter.com/qdQFQTjW0a
— Pete Buttigieg (@PeteButtigieg) September 17, 2026
She said Harris told donors Biden would stay in while courting them for herself. Blaylock told Texas Scorecard that Lomick, like many Democratic candidates this year, filed hastily and lacked preparation. The pattern is clear. The leadership controls the story while excluding those refusing to cooperate.
Voters need to know who is really running their party. Golden asserts that the Congress we receive reflects the members we choose. He encourages voters to identify representatives who enact legislation alongside the opposing party. But in Texas, a candidate with a felony record tried to hide her past. She was caught and had to drop out.
This leaves the seat open for a Republican who has served on a city council. Proud to be in Cait’s corner, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg wrote about a different candidate, Cait Conley.
