Former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson has likely secured enough delegates to become the Democratic Senate nominee. He aims to replace Graham Platner and face Republican Senator Susan Collins.
Delegate Wins Indicate Strong Position
Over the weekend, delegates aligned with Jackson won the majority of the 500 available slots at the delegate selection events held across Maine’s 16 counties. Jackson’s major competitors, Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows and former public health official Nirav Shah, withdrew from the race on Sunday, solidifying his position.
“In November, Mainers will defeat Susan Collins, and we will take back our Senate seat from the billionaires and corporations who think they own it,” Jackson stated on social media.
The delegates aligned with Jackson are not officially committed to him at the convention, but his strong position suggests he will likely secure the nomination and challenge Collins in the midterm elections.
Background and Campaign
A fifth-generation logger and former Republican, Jackson switched to the Democratic Party over two decades ago. He took third place in last month’s gubernatorial primary. In the push to replace Platner, Jackson-affiliated delegates captured over 90% of the slots, including a complete sweep in Cumberland County.
On Sunday morning, Jackson acknowledged the significance of the weekend’s success but emphasized continued effort.
“Yesterday was an unbelievable huge step, but our work is not finished — not even close,” Jackson remarked. The success of Jackson-aligned delegates persisted throughout the day.
The 500 delegates selected this weekend will join 101 other delegates from the Democratic State Committee to choose the Senate nominee next Saturday in Bangor, Maine.
Exiting Candidates and Unity
Shenna Bellows announced her exit from the Senate race to focus on her role as Secretary of State amidst increasing concerns about national democratic processes. Shah, who served as Maine CDC director and held a principal deputy role at the federal CDC, ended his campaign and endorsed Jackson, calling for party unity.
“To Maine Democrats: Susan Collins will not be defeated without a united Democratic Party,” Shah advised in a statement.
Jackson expressed gratitude towards Shah and called for coalition-building to defeat Collins.
Meanwhile, another candidate, Dan Kleban, co-founder of Maine Beer Company, also paused his campaign on Sunday.
Endorsements and Platform
Jackson shares support from progressive figures like Sen. Bernie Sanders and ‘Our Revolution,’ mirroring Platner’s approach. His campaign focuses on progressive policies such as raising taxes on billionaires, implementing ‘Medicare-for-all,’ opposing ICE, and limiting military aid to Israel.
Platner’s sudden withdrawal followed allegations that prompted demands for his exit from prominent Democrats. Platner had strong backing and momentum but stepped down after a report on alleged misconduct.
Jackson had supported Platner but urged his withdrawal following the allegations while maintaining the necessity of a shared progressive vision.
In a recent debate, Jackson highlighted Platner’s advocacy against the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries, emphasizing the need for affordable healthcare.