The Maine Democratic Party formally selected Troy Jackson as its new U.S. Senate nominee on Saturday in Bangor, Maine, following a tumultuous three-week period that saw the party’s original primary winner withdraw from the race. Jackson, a former state Senate president and fifth-generation logger from Allagash, will face five-term Republican incumbent Sen. Susan Collins in the November election.
Convention Process and Nomination
Jackson secured the nomination at a state convention held at the Cross Insurance Center, where he won by a vote of 566-5. According to Maine Democratic Party Chair Charlie Dingman, Jackson captured all but five of the 571 ballots cast. The victory was largely assured after delegate candidates supporting Jackson dominated county meetings the previous weekend, leading all major opponents to drop out by Sunday. Some Democratic voters, however, expressed that the convention process did not represent the more than 200,000 people who voted in the June primary.
The rapid selection process was necessitated by a July 27 deadline to name a replacement for the general-election ballot. Under Maine law, the state party was granted the authority to choose a replacement, a process that required a nominee to be named 99 days before the November 3 election.
The Platner Exit
Jackson replaces Graham Platner, who won the Democratic primary in June but withdrew earlier this month. Platner’s exit followed an allegation of sexual assault from a former girlfriend regarding an incident in 2021; Platner has denied the allegation.
Jackson had previously campaigned alongside Platner during a failed bid for governor and had received Platner’s endorsement during that run. While Jackson told reporters on Saturday that he has not been in touch with Platner and is building a new movement, he previously told MS Now that Platner had assured him there was nothing in his past
to worry about, adding, “He lied to me.”
Political Background and Platform
Jackson, 58, is a veteran legislator who began his political career as a Republican and once opposed gay marriage and abortion. Now described as staunchly progressive, he has deep ties to the movement led by Sen. Bernie Sanders, having previously run Sanders’ 2016 presidential operations in Maine. The political organization Our Revolution, founded by Sanders, rallied behind Jackson after initially backing Platner.
During his convention addresses, Jackson emphasized a platform focused on healthcare as a human right, living wages, and union support. He vowed to attack Sen. Collins over her record, specifically citing her support for corporate and wealthy tax cuts and her role in confirming justices who overturned Roe v. Wade. Jackson characterized Collins’ long-term political approach by stating, concern is not courage.
The General Election Outlook
Democrats view Maine as a critical opportunity to flip a Senate seat and retake control of the chamber, as the party needs four pickups nationwide. The race is considered competitive because President Donald Trump lost the state in 2024. However, Jackson faces significant hurdles:
- Fundraising Gap: Federal filings show Collins has raised more than $16 million. Jackson’s campaign reported raising more than $1 million since entering the Senate race.
- Time Constraints: Jackson has a “101-day sprint” to Election Day to build a statewide campaign and introduce himself to voters.
- Opposition Spending: The Senate Leadership Fund, a Republican super PAC, has committed to spending over $42 million against Jackson.
Worth a look
