Democratic Congressman Jared Golden, representing Lewiston and Maine's Second Congressional District since 2019, sat down with Maine's Total Coverage political reporter Phil Hirschkorn for an exclusive interview on Tuesday.The interview followed Golden's surprise announcement during a press conference the day after the Oct. 25 shootings that killed 18 people and wounded 13 others, that he would support a national ban on the manufacture and sale of assault weapons like the semi-automatic rifle used by the Lewiston killer.This was a strong departure from Golden's previous positions generally opposed to restrictions on gun ownership and specifically reversed his being one of only five House Democrats to vote "no" on a proposed ban last year.Golden stated on Oct. 26:"I propose that we should ban deadly weapons of war like the assault rifle used to carry out this crime. The time has now come for me to take responsibility for this failure, which is why I now call on the United States Congress to ban assault rifles like the one used by this sick perpetrator of this mass killing."Golden also asked his community for understanding."To the families who lost loved ones and to those who have been harmed, I ask forgiveness and support as I seek to put an end to these terrible shootings. In the days to come, I will give everything I have to support this communities recovery."You can watch our interview as it aired LIVE at Noon in the video player below.The first question for Congressman Golden on Tuesday was whether it took a mass shooting in his hometown to change his view and support a ban on assault weapons."Sadly, I guess the answer to that question is yes, that's exactly what it took for me personally,” Golden said in the interview in his Lewiston office. “I feel like I've made the right call for the right reasons here. Perhaps I should have made it sooner. But there's no looking back. I can only look ahead.Golden described his reversal as crystallizing in his mind during his trip home from Washington the day after the mass shooting. The bowling alley attacked is just a half mile from the home he shares with his pregnant wife, Izzy, and their two-year-old daughter, Rosemary."While I may, you know have kept one in the home, am I going to start walking around everywhere with it? You know, are we going to go to the grocery store with AR-15s slung on our shoulders, all of us who have obviously good reason to be concerned about safety in our communities? Is that the world that I want for my daughter's future? The answer there is no."But when it comes to other frequently discussed gun control measures, Golden is not budging.He said he remains a firm "no" against banning high-capacity magazines, which allow a shooter fire more rounds before reloading, and against expanding background checks to buyers at gun shows or from private gun sellers. He voted against those “universal background checks in 2020."I'm not changing any of my beliefs in regards to the importance of the rights of people to own firearms,” Golden said. “The intent of those who wrote the Constitution was to, you know, try and ensure that a government could not disarm a population and also to ensure that a citizenry and communities are able to provide for common self-defense."He also opposes a national red or yellow flag law that let law enforcement agencies confiscate guns from people deemed a danger to themselves or others.Golden said, "When you talk about things like red flag laws or yellow flag laws, I think that those are best put in place at the state level and implemented locally."But in a district scared by tragedy and historic deep support for Second Amendment rights, Golden said he's not worried about paying a political price for wanting a "laser-like" focus to ban semi-automatic assault rifles.Golden said, "I believe really strongly that sometimes things happen or things are put before you as a political leader where you just have to look past any concern or consideration of reelection."Golden plans to run for a fourth term next year.He said, “It's an honor to represent people, but you got to know that you're doing what you believe in your heart is right, and when I'm done representing the people of Maine’s Second District, I got to be able to feel good about it, know that I did it right.”EXTENDED INTERVIEW CLIPS WITH JARED GOLDEN: