Troy Jackson, a progressive Democrat and former Maine gubernatorial candidate, has filed paperwork to enter the U.S. Senate race, potentially replacing current Democratic nominee Graham Platner. Platner faces mounting pressure to withdraw from the campaign after a rape allegation surfaced, leading prominent Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, to rescind their support.
Platner has denied the allegations, calling them "categorically false." However, under Maine law, he has until July 13, 2026, to withdraw from the race. If Platner steps aside before the deadline, the state Democratic Party will have until July 27, 2026, to select a new nominee.
Jackson, who recently lost the Democratic gubernatorial primary, filed a Statement of Candidacy with the Federal Election Commission. He has also publicly addressed the allegations against Platner, stating that he is considering his next steps to support the progressive movement and the working class.
Jackson and Platner have previously run closely aligned progressive campaigns and appeared together at campaign events. Both candidates have received backing from Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. Following the allegations against Platner, Our Revolution, the political organization founded by Sanders, withdrew its endorsement of Platner and endorsed Jackson for the Senate nomination.
"We have days, not weeks, to make sure a real progressive is on this ballot," said Our Revolution Executive Director Joseph Geevarghese. "If we do not organize now, we risk watching the Democratic establishment handing Maine a corporate placeholder while the party that just got outvoted decides it knows better."
Jackson has a long history of ties to Sanders, serving as his Maine political director and endorsing him as a superdelegate during the 2016 Democratic presidential primary. Sanders has publicly supported Jackson, highlighting his background as a logger and his tenure in the Maine Legislature. Jackson, a fifth-generation logger, previously served over two decades in the state Legislature, including six years as president of the Maine Senate. His progressive platform has included proposals for universal child care, Medicare for All, and the creation of a Department of Affordable Housing. Despite his progressive politics, Jackson has a record of winning elections in a Republican-leaning region of Maine, attributing his success to focusing on working-class economic issues.