Troy Jackson is emerging as the likely Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate seat in Maine, aiming to unseat Republican incumbent Susan Collins. Jackson's campaign stated Monday that it is focusing its efforts on defeating Collins, citing a "decisive advantage" gained during recent county-level caucuses.
Jackson, whose background is rooted in a logging family near the Quebec border, is a well-known figure in Maine politics due to his history of activism and his tenure as a state lawmaker. His campaign's announcement followed a series of withdrawals from the race by other Democratic candidates, including Dan Kleban, Shenna Bellows, Nirav Shah, and Jordan Wood, all of whom announced their decisions Sunday.
Wood, formerly chief of staff to U.S. Rep. Katie Porter, posted a video on social media announcing the suspension of her campaign and endorsing Jackson. Shah and Kleban also publicly endorsed Jackson, while Bellows did not explicitly mention him when announcing her campaign's end.
Maine Democrats held county nomination meetings over the weekend to select delegates for the party's Senate nominating convention scheduled for Saturday, July 25. Jackson's campaign reported that 481 out of 500 county delegates support his candidacy. A total of 601 delegates, including 101 members of the Maine Democratic State Committee, will participate in the convention.
Jackson's path to becoming the nominee gained momentum after former Democratic candidate Graham Platner withdrew from the race on July 10, following accusations of sexual assault. Jackson had previously joined calls for Platner to exit the race after the allegations surfaced, though Platner has denied them. Jackson had initially supported Platner's bid in the Democratic Senate primary while also running for governor, a race he lost.
The Maine Democratic Party's website lists other candidates still in the race, including David Costello and Ashley Webb, but delegates who supported Jackson reportedly received overwhelming backing at the recent nomination meetings. The candidates who withdrew on Sunday were considered Jackson's primary rivals.