Maine Democrats pick Troy Jackson after Platner exit
Maine Democrats have selected Troy Jackson, a fifth-generation lumberjack and former state Senate president, as their new U.S. Senate nominee after Graham Platner withdrew amid sexual assault allegations he denied. Jackson will challenge Republican Sen. Susan Collins in a race that could help decide control of the Senate, with less than four months until the midterms.
Key Takeaways
- Troy Jackson replaces Graham Platner on the Democratic ticket in Maine's U.S. Senate race.
- Platner quit after a former girlfriend alleged sexual assault; he has denied the accusations.
- Jackson, a former Maine Senate president and progressive ally of Bernie Sanders, faces Sen. Susan Collins.
- Collins has raised more than $16 million; Jackson's campaign says it has brought in just over $1 million.
- The contest is widely seen as pivotal to which party controls the Senate after November.
Who is Troy Jackson, and why did Democrats turn to him?
According to The Guardian, Jackson is a fifth-generation logger from Aroostook County and a prominent workers' rights advocate. He served as president of the Democratic-controlled Maine Senate from 2018 until 2024.
He first gained notice in the late 1990s leading a week-long logger blockade over Canadian workers they said depressed wages. He ran as a Republican in 2000, won as an independent in 2002, then became a Democrat in 2004 before rising through the House and Senate.
Once more socially conservative, he now backs Medicare for All and has called for abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement. He chaired Bernie Sanders' 2016 presidential caucus campaign in Maine and remains a close ally.
What happened to Graham Platner?
Platner, the Democratic primary winner, withdrew after sexual assault allegations from a former girlfriend, which he denied. The abrupt exit left Democrats scrambling for a replacement less than four months before the midterms.
The oyster farmer had survived earlier controversies, including a tattoo resembling a Nazi symbol, before stepping down. He had drawn more than 150,000 primary votes and built a passionate following that progressives say they hope to transfer to Jackson.
Can Troy Jackson beat Susan Collins?
Collins, seeking to extend a three-decade Senate career, starts with a large fundraising edge and shared northern Maine roots with Jackson. Both hail from heavily Republican Aroostook County.
Jackson frames Collins as an enabler of Donald Trump and corporate interests. Collins has cast him as an ideological extremist and a "Bernie bro," pointing to his progressive record. Maine Republicans have also criticized Democrats for elevating a longtime political insider.
Allies argue authenticity is his strength against a polished incumbent. For more BlasterPost coverage of high-stakes political shifts and related analysis, see our Future Tech & AI Wonders hub.
With inflation and Trump's war in Iran weighing on the national mood, Democrats hope a blue wave could still sweep Collins aside—though both sides expect a hard-fought sprint to November.