Troy Jackson, a fifth-generation logger from the North Maine Woods and former state lawmaker, has quickly become the dominant choice to replace Maine’s Democratic Senate nominee after the previous candidate, Graham Platner, withdrew from the race less than two weeks ago.
Platner’s exit came after a sexual assault allegation — which he denied — effectively ended his campaign and opened the door for a wave of Democrats hoping to challenge longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins. By Sunday, however, the competition had largely faded after Jackson’s supporters spent the weekend locking down delegate commitments ahead of this Saturday’s state convention in Bangor.
Of the 601 delegates set to cast votes this weekend, Jackson’s campaign says 481 have pledged their support. Key rivals, including Secretary of State Shenna Bellows and Nirav Shah, former director of Maine’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention, have both withdrawn from consideration. Jackson formally announced Monday that he is directing his full energy toward defeating Collins.
“I’m grateful to Democrats across Maine for putting their faith in me and in what we’re fighting for,” Jackson said in a statement. “This didn’t happen because of one person. It happened because hundreds of volunteers put in the hours, knocked on doors, made phone calls, and believed we could build something bigger than ourselves.”
Even so, winning the nomination is just the first hurdle. With roughly 100 days remaining before the general election, Jackson faces a steep climb — Collins already holds millions in campaign funds, while Jackson must build out a statewide campaign operation and appeal to Maine’s substantial independent voter bloc.
As a former state Senate president, Jackson brings more political experience than Platner did as a first-time candidate. But his embrace of progressive positions could draw sharp Republican attacks, according to Nicholas Jacobs, a political scientist at Colby College in Maine.
“The guy does have some pretty interesting positions,” Jacobs said. “Positions that are pretty far to the left of the median voter.”
Among those positions, Jackson has stated he wants to “get rid of” Immigration and Customs Enforcement — a stance that has taken on added weight after an ICE officer fatally shot a driver in Maine last week. Democrats have moved to tie Collins to the agency, while Jackson has doubled down on his call to dissolve ICE entirely.
Jackson has also championed “Medicare for All,” a proposal that would eliminate employer-based and private individual health insurance in favor of a government-administered program guaranteeing universal coverage with no premiums, no deductibles, and only minimal copays for select services.
Republicans wasted no time labeling Jackson a “socialist” on Monday. Republican National Committee spokesperson Kristen Cianci drew a comparison to former President Joe Biden’s July 2024 decision to exit the presidential race, which handed the Democratic nomination to then-Vice President Kamala Harris, who went on to lose to Republican Donald Trump.
“This entire process is just as bad as Kamala’s rigged coronation,” Cianci said, adding, “Maine voters have had their voices stolen by party insiders.”
Still, analysts say Jackson’s deep roots in Maine could work in his favor. Jacobs noted that unlike Platner, who faced a string of controversies, Jackson’s background in the logging industry and his connection to “old Maine” give him an authenticity that resonates with voters.
“He’s the real deal,” Jacobs said.
Jackson’s history in the state runs deep. In 1998, he helped organize a weeklong blockade along the Quebec border to protest the use of Canadian loggers who were undercutting pay for local workers. The standoff ended with Jackson being removed by police, but it ultimately fueled his push as a state lawmaker for stronger protections for loggers and wood haulers.
Jackson first ran for a seat in Maine’s House of Representatives in 2000 as a Republican and lost. He won the seat two years later running as an independent, then switched to the Democratic Party in 2004. He eventually rose to serve as Maine Senate president before departing the Statehouse in 2024. Earlier this year, he finished third in the Democratic gubernatorial primary, running with the backing of Platner, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, and Our Revolution, the political organization Sanders founded.
For Democrats nationally, Maine is considered a critical target. The party needs to flip four Senate seats to take control of the 100-member chamber, and party leaders have identified Maine — along with Alaska, Ohio, and North Carolina — as key battlegrounds in that effort.
