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Troy Jackson replaces Graham Platner as Maine Senate Democrat nominee
USA Today • • general
Key Points:
- Troy Jackson, former Maine Senate president and logger, has been officially nominated as the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate from Maine, replacing oyster farmer Graham Platner after winning 566 delegate votes at the state nominating convention on July 25.
- Jackson must now unite the over 150,000 voters who supported Platner in the primary to challenge incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins, who has held her seat since 1997 and currently faces a close race according to recent polls.
- Jackson positioned himself as a populist and working-class advocate, criticizing Collins for her Supreme Court justice confirmations and pledging to protect Social Security, Medicare, abortion rights, and workers' rights while opposing Donald Trump and ICE policies.
- The nomination follows a turbulent period after Platner withdrew amid sexual assault allegations, and Jackson’s campaign has gained endorsements from labor leaders, Sen. Bernie Sanders, Rep. Ro Khanna, and the grassroots group Our Revolution.
- Jackson emphasized a grassroots campaign strategy focused on defeating Collins in the November general election to help Democrats flip the Senate, currently controlled 53-47 by Republicans.
