Troy Jackson has secured the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate in Maine, setting up a contest against incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins in November. The former state lawmaker and logger was chosen by delegates at a convention on Saturday, replacing Graham Platner.
Platner, who had won the June Democratic primary, withdrew from the race earlier this month after being accused of sexual assault in 2021. He has denied the allegation. Jackson, a fifth-generation logger from rural northern Maine and former Maine Senate president, emerged as the preferred candidate among Democrats to challenge Collins.
"When the people in power refuse to listen, you have to organize, you have to stand in solidarity, together. And you have to make them listen," Jackson said at the nominating convention in Bangor.
Maine Democrats faced a tight deadline to select a new nominee, with state law requiring a replacement to be named by Monday, 99 days before the Nov. 3 election. The party utilized a never-before-used process involving hundreds of delegates who gathered to vote. Jackson received widespread support, securing 566 of the 571 delegates who cast votes.
Jackson's political career began in 2000 as a Republican, but he later switched to the Democratic Party in 2004. He served as Maine Senate president before leaving the statehouse in 2024. He also ran for governor this year, finishing third in the Democratic primary. He had previously campaigned alongside Platner and garnered support from progressive groups, including those associated with U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders.
After Platner's withdrawal on July 10, several candidates, including Jackson, sought to replace him. By July 19, Jackson had become the clear frontrunner. He also secured early backing from progressives who had initially supported Platner. Jackson has advocated for progressive positions, including Medicare for All and the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Maine is considered a key state for Democrats in their effort to regain control of the Senate. Collins, a five-term incumbent, holds a fundraising advantage, with federal filings showing she has raised over $16 million. Jackson's campaign reported raising more than $1 million since he entered the race. Collins has characterized Jackson as too extreme for Maine voters, referring to him as a "Bernie Bro" due to his past campaign work for Sanders.
"We’re not from the left, we’re not from the right. We’re from the bottom, and we are rising," Jackson stated Saturday, expressing confidence in his campaign's ability to compete.