U.S. Rep. Jared Golden on Friday blasted trade deals that he says hurt American workers, praised unions that fight for better wages and took shots at his likely November opponent.

Speaking to about 500 in-person and 500 virtual delegates and guests at the Maine Democratic State Convention, the 2nd Congressional District Democrat said he’s twice voted for a $15 minimum wage and stands by workers.

“In this era of rising economic inequality, I continue to believe unions are the best tool we have to empower hardworking men and women who are the true source of American greatness,” he said.

On the first day of the Democrats’ two-day convention in Bangor, Golden served as keynote speaker. Earlier in the day, activists gathered in smaller sessions to learn about climate change, diversity, equity and inclusion efforts and abortion and LGBTQ rights.

While welcoming the convention to the Cross Insurance Center, Sen. Joe Baldacci (D-Bangor) recapped Democratic actions over the last few years, including the expansion of MaineCare, free community college for recent high school graduates and expanded health care coverage for children.

“Our Republican friends wrap themselves in sweet platitudes about a past that never existed,” he said. “We are Democrats. We choose to move things forward, not backwards, to provide Maine with hope and opportunity and not fear and excuses.”

Maine House Speaker Ryan Fecteau (D-Biddeford) wove in personal details about his life with legislation that Democrats have passed. As Maine’s first openly gay speaker and its youngest speaker since the 1800s, he gave a fiery address that celebrated workers, took jabs at former Gov. Paul LePage — whom he called Paul “Florida Man” LePage — and vowed that Maine will not roll back reproductive and LGBTQ rights.

He said LePage vetoed his bill to ban conversion therapy, an issue personal to Fecteau because someone close to him once suggested that he read a book about it when he came out as gay. Fecteau said Gov. Janet Mills — who will address the convention Saturday — signed the bill as soon as it hit her desk.

LePage, who served two terms from 2011-2019, is running against Mills, who is finishing her first term.

With regard to abortion rights, Fecteau referenced protesters who recently wrote chalk messages to Republican Sen. Susan Collins on the sidewalk outside her home asking her to support a bill that would have codified Roe v. Wade into federal law.

“Maine won’t go back to the days before Roe,” Fecteau said. “We’re armed with too much chalk to let us go back to the days before.”

Golden, with his wife Isobel and daughter Rosemary standing off stage, said his likely November opponent, former U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin, voted for tax cuts that “blew our budget deficit into the stratosphere.” 

Golden called for election reforms to get corporate money out of politics. He sponsored federal legislation to recognize the Wabanaki Tribes that would give them standing equal to those of other Indigenous people in the country. At the state level, efforts to recognize sovereignty failed when Mills signaled that she would veto a bill granting them full sovereignty.

Golden said sponsoring the federal version of the legislation is “one of the things I’m most proud of.”

“I strongly and proudly support recognizing their sovereignty,” he said.

On Saturday, the convention will feature speeches by Mills, U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-1st District) and a video address by U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff of California.