Troy Jackson has largely secured the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate in Maine, positioning him to challenge Republican incumbent Susan Collins in the upcoming general election. The development follows the withdrawal of his primary rivals, Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows and former state public health official Nirav Shah.
Jackson's campaign gained significant momentum after delegates aligned with him won a substantial majority of the slots available in county conventions held over the weekend. These delegates will vote alongside automatically allocated State Committee delegates at the party's nominating convention next Saturday in Bangor.
Bellows announced her withdrawal Sunday morning, stating her focus would be on her duties as Secretary of State amidst concerns about election integrity. Later that evening, Shah dropped out and endorsed Jackson, urging party unity to defeat Collins.
"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 Sunday evening. He also thanked Shah for his support and called for unity. Another candidate, Dan Kleban, also suspended his campaign Sunday.
Jackson, a former Maine Senate President, ran on a progressive and populist platform during his previous bid for governor. His policy positions include raising taxes on billionaires, supporting Medicare for All, and opposing military aid to Israel. He previously campaigned alongside Graham Platner, the initial Democratic nominee who withdrew from the race earlier this month following an allegation of rape, which he denied.
Platner's exit created an opening for Jackson and other candidates. Jackson had previously called for Platner to step down after the allegation surfaced, while also advocating for the continuation of Platner's progressive agenda. Jackson has received support from groups like Our Revolution, which originated from Sen. Bernie Sanders' presidential campaign. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) stands with Troy Jackson (L), who is running for Governor of Maine, and Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner during a "Fighting Oligarchy" tour stop at the Collins Center for the Arts on the University of Maine campus on May 24, 2026 in Orono, Maine.
The race to replace Platner saw Jackson-aligned delegates securing over 90% of slots in Saturday's conventions, including all 149 in Cumberland County, the state's most populous. In total, 500 delegates were selected this weekend to join 101 automatic delegates from the Democratic State Committee, making a total of 601 voting delegates.
The general election contest between Jackson and Collins is anticipated to be a closely watched and potentially expensive race that could influence the balance of power in the U.S. Senate. The GOP currently holds a 53-47 majority in the chamber. Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine tours a food bank in Harrison, Maine, on May 5, 2026.
