Former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson has secured the Democratic nomination to challenge Republican Sen. Susan Collins, replacing Graham Platner who withdrew amid a sexual assault allegation. Jackson, a progressive former logger, won overwhelming support from party delegates for the must-win race, which is critical to Democrats' hopes of gaining a U.S. Senate majority.
Democratic nomination contest
- ▪The Maine Democratic Party has until July 27 to officially name a replacement nominee
- ▪Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows withdrew from the Senate race amid Jackson's growing support
- ▪Troy Jackson has effectively secured the Democratic nomination to challenge Republican Senator Susan Collins in the Maine Senate race
- ▪Jackson won the support of nearly two-thirds of the 601 delegates ahead of the July 25 state convention
Platner withdrawal from race
- ▪Platner, who denies the allegation, suspended his campaign on July 8 after being accused of sexual assault
- ▪The nomination became open after the initial nominee, Graham Platner, dropped out of the race on July 10 following a series of scandals
Jackson's political background
- ▪Troy Jackson has directly appealed to Graham Platner's former supporters, presenting himself as the candidate to continue Platner's progressive movement
- ▪With over two decades in Maine politics, Jackson has deep roots in the state's labor movement
- ▪Jackson is a former logger from rural northern Maine and previously served as president of the state Senate from 2018 to 2024
Progressive policy platform
- ▪Jackson's progressive platform includes support for 'Medicare for All,' raising taxes on billionaires, and abolishing ICE
- ▪Jackson also opposes military aid to Israel, a divisive issue among Democrats
- ▪Senator Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent, endorsed Jackson in a past gubernatorial race
Criticism of Susan Collins
- ▪Susan Collins is widely considered the most vulnerable incumbent Republican senator in the 2026 election cycle
- ▪The Maine Senate seat is critical to Democrats' hopes of overturning the Republicans' 53-47 majority in the U.S. Senate
- ▪Jackson stated that as head of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Susan Collins 'should have been able to stop ICE' after an agent shot a man in Biddeford
- ▪Jackson has criticized Collins as part of an elite group that has overlooked working-class Mainers
Story comments
Loading comments…