One of the most conservative Democrats in the U.S. House has changed their stance on a divisive issue.
As recently as 2022, Jared Golden (Maine) opposed legislation championed by his party banning assault weapons. Golden was one of only two Democrats to oppose another bill to raise the minimum age for purchasing semi-automatic rifles from 18 to 21 that year. In 2021, he was the only Democrat in the House to vote against the Bipartisan Background Checks Act.
However, things changed after the mass shooting in Lewiston Thursday night, a city that falls within his congressional district. Standing before a gaggle of reporters Friday, Golden said he was wrong and asked his constituents for forgiveness.
“The time has come for me to take responsibility,” he added.
ABC News reports:
“Humility is called for as accountability is sought by victims of a tragedy such as this one,” Golden said at a news conference alongside other officials.
Arguably the most conservative Democrat in the House, Golden said that “I have opposed efforts to ban deadly weapons of war like the assault rifle used to carry out this crime.”
Golden, a Marine Corps veteran representing Maine's GOP-leaning 2nd District since 2019 calls Lewiston home.
ABC continues:
The previous federal assault weapons ban, enacted in the '90s with some exceptions, ended after 10 years.
Democrats and Republicans have largely been divided about gun violence, with Democrats urging restrictions on firearms to curb frequent shootings in America while GOP lawmakers often argue such regulations are unconstitutional and ineffective compared with focusing on mental health or on increasing security.
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