On workhorses and show horses

After the election we should focus on the work ahead, not the spectacle

Dear Mainer,

Since Election Day, I’ve been asked to do more interviews than I can count. Name a cable news program, major print publication, or political podcast and I’ve probably gotten a request from them. Most want me to offer analyses of election results in Maine and nationwide. There are plenty of pundits out there, and I’m not one of them. So I’ve politely declined nearly all of those interviews. 

This scramble happens every two years. While most Mainers I know are happy for the election to be over, journalists and the political class want to keep it going for as long as possible. Winners and losers alike are expected to offer definitive answers even before all the ballots are counted: What went right? What went wrong? 

They’re also eager to start the next election right away. For two weeks, reporters have asked me: “What’s next for Jared Golden?”

My answer is simple. I’m focused on the three most important jobs I have right now: Being a good husband, being a good father, and being the best Congressman I can be for the people of Maine. 

The trust of my constituents is not just a stepping stone for me, and the truth is I’ve never run for office because I had sights on another one. And while the media is ravenous for post-election prognostication from elected officials and speculation about the next election, I’d just as soon leave all that for someone else.  

The post-election media stage is set for ego, not service

This post-election hunger for easy insight is fertile soil for personal ambition — something there’s no shortage of in Washington.

It makes me think of a scene in one of my favorite shows, Game of Thrones. One lord, growing skeptical of his chosen queen’s increasing brutality, asks another: “Have you considered the best ruler might be someone who doesn’t want to rule?”

On its face, that sentiment seems to express a discomfort with ambition in all its forms. But I don’t believe ambition in and of itself is a bad thing. Ambition can be a vehicle for service just as well as it can be used for ego.

Most of us run for office because we believe we have something to offer. For me, it’s a workhorse-like effort to improve Mainers’ lives and preserve and strengthen the things that make our state and our way of life special. That’s ambition as a tool for service.

These post-election periods, though, are built for those whose ambition is tied to their ego. Even a workhorse can become a show horse when its head is turned by applause and a spotlight, which the press and pundits are eager to shine on anyone willing to provide the hot takes they crave. Under the bright lights, even a principled leader’s ambition can become little more than a springboard to boost their name recognition, court donors, and position themselves for whatever higher office they plan to seek in the future. 

You might try to use your time in the spotlight to draw attention to our constituents’ challenges and opportunities — to leverage the attention in the name of service. But you quickly find the stage isn’t built for it. Most of the time, that spotlight shines only through a political lens. 

For example, a conversation about the needs of our lobstering communities and the challenges posed by needless regulation becomes a conversation about the electoral significance of our fisheries and the perceived conflict between fishing and conservation. An earnest discussion about our broken immigration system and chaos at the border over the past several years is staged in terms of how it “plays” in a Left vs. Right political drama.

I’m happy to talk about my work on behalf of my constituents to address what matters to their families and communities. But usually, I end up deciding it’s better to just do the work — and find ways to discuss it directly with my constituents — than to play it out in a forum that’s just not built to facilitate real conversation or drive toward solutions. 

At the end of the day, it’s almost always better to be a workhorse, not a show horse. 

A workhorse’s pride 

Anyone who’s ever taken stock of what they’ve accomplished at the end of a hard day knows there’s pride in doing good work. That’s true for me as your member of Congress, too. 

I get a sense of personal satisfaction from working with Mainers to solve problems. It’s a good feeling to work with towns and cities to secure federal wastewater infrastructure funding to protect our environment and keep property taxes in check. It’s rewarding to work side by side with Maine veterans to help expand VA mental health treatment in our state. I am proud of the work we’ve done together for seniors, workers, and small businesses, and grateful for the opportunity to keep that good work going. 

Looking ahead to Thanksgiving, I can’t help but feel grateful for the opportunity to keep working for Maine. This week, I hope you’re able to enjoy time with your loved ones around the dinner table and give thanks for all your blessings. 

Thanks for reading,