Democrats are gathering in Bangor, Maine, on Saturday to formally nominate a new candidate for U.S. Senate, as the party looks to move past the scandal-plagued campaign of Graham Platner and refocus its sights on unseating longtime Republican incumbent Susan Collins.
It's a Senate matchup with far-reaching political implications. Democrats need to net a total of four seats to win back control of the chamber this fall, and party officials see the contest in Maine as one of their best opportunities.
The race was thrown into turmoil earlier this month when Platner, the party's initial nominee, ended his campaign after a woman he previously dated came forward and accused him of raping her in 2021. Platner has denied the allegation, but it was the final straw for Democrats after months of controversy surrounding him.
Now, after an abbreviated and chaotic search for a replacement, Maine Democrats are hoping to rally behind a new candidate who can harness the same energy and momentum of the Platner campaign.
The apparent front-runner heading into Saturday's convention is Troy Jackson. The former president of the Maine Senate has already garnered support from the bulk of elected delegates who will cast ballots for the nominee, and nearly every one of his primary rivals has dropped out of the race.
Maintaining Platner's movement, without the baggage
Jackson, a fifth-generation logger from northern Maine, is running on an economic populist message that mirrors much of what Platner emphasized in his campaign, rejecting the Democratic establishment and focusing on affordability concerns, backing policies like Medicare for All and raising taxes on the ultra-wealthy and large corporations.
Like other more progressive candidates on the left, Jackson is pushing for the abolishment of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and an end to U.S. military aid to Israel. He's also advocating for Congress to pass civil rights legislation protecting LGBTQ Americans and federalize the right to an abortion — two issues where he's changed his views after taking more conservative stances during his early years in public office.
When asked about Jackson's history with reproductive rights, Democratic state Sen. Stacy Brenner argued that it wasn't a deterrent in supporting him.
"What I find compelling about legislators and policymakers is when they are able to evolve with the thinking of where their heart is, where their mind is, when they learn about data and when they hear stories [from] their constituents," said Brenner, who also has a background as a farmer and nurse.
"That's what's happened for Troy," she added.
Jackson supporters celebrate his lengthy tenure in Maine politics as well as his blue-collar roots. And despite recent reporting in The Washington Post and CNN describing Jackson as exhibiting a short temper with colleagues during his time in office, he has faced minimal public pushback from state leaders in the lead-up to the convention.
A tough road ahead for the nominee
While Collins has faced competitive challengers before, Democrats see the fifth-term incumbent as particularly vulnerable this year. She's running in a state carried by Kamala Harris in 2024, and at a moment when many voters have soured on President Trump's handling of the economy and the war in Iran.
Still, even if Jackson is able to claim the nomination, he will face a difficult path to victory, with only about 100 days before voting ends on Nov. 3 to build up a war chest and make his case to voters.
In Collins, he would be facing off against one of the most senior Republican incumbents in the Senate. Collins, who has held her seat for 30 years, holds a massive fundraising edge, reporting $11 million in cash on hand, according to latest Federal Election Commission filings.
But Jackson's campaign argues that it has momentum, reporting a fundraising haul of more than $1 million since he announced his run.
"This campaign is powered by people who are sick of watching billionaires and corporations buy influence while working families get screwed," Jackson said in a statement Wednesday.
"Together, we're building the grassroots movement it will take to defeat Susan Collins and give Maine a senator who answers to working people."
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