Troy Jackson, a veteran state politician and logger, has officially secured the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate race in Maine. The nomination came Saturday at the party's state convention, held weeks after the initial Democratic nominee, Graham Platner, withdrew due to allegations of sexual assault and other controversies.
Jackson won the nomination with 566 votes, defeating his sole opponent, Sandra Pelletier, who received five votes. Upon securing the nomination, Jackson stated it was an honor and pledged to work to earn the trust of voters. He has stated his campaign will focus on protecting Social Security and Medicare, safeguarding abortion access, supporting the LGBTQ community, and countering President Donald Trump's policies.
He criticized incumbent GOP Sen. Susan Collins and the Republican Party, asserting that their economic policies are harming Americans. "Susan Collins keeps telling us everything is just fine, and they act like you know we're idiots," Jackson said. "You know we all have eyes; we can see what's happening. We can see our paychecks and the bills that we have, and we know that we are getting screwed, and we also know who's to blame."
Platner's withdrawal followed allegations of sexual assault by a former girlfriend, which he has denied. Maine Democratic Party chair Charlie Dingman noted the party's commitment to a transparent and representative nominating process in response to Platner's departure.
Jackson will now face Senator Collins in November. The race is considered critical for Democrats aiming to regain control of the Senate. While Collins faces challenges in a political climate where voters have expressed dissatisfaction with the handling of the economy and the war in Iran, and given that Maine was won by Kamala Harris in 2024, Jackson also faces his own hurdles. He must build his campaign momentum with approximately 101 days remaining until the midterm elections. Jackson previously lost in the state's Democratic gubernatorial primary in June.
Jackson's political record has also drawn scrutiny. He initially ran for public office as a Republican in 2000 and later became a Democrat in 2004. He voted against legalizing same-sex marriage in 2009 and opposed abortion rights during his time in the Maine State Senate. Jackson has since stated he regrets his vote against same-sex marriage and has become an advocate for abortion access.