Former state lawmaker and logger Troy Jackson secured the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in Maine on Saturday.
He will face longtime GOP Sen. Susan Collins in November in a race that could decide which party controls the Senate.
Jackson replaces Graham Platner, who won the Democratic primary in June but withdrew from the race earlier this month following an allegation of sexual assault that Platner has denied.
RELATED STORY | Ex-girlfriend of Graham Platner says she believes accusers
Platner’s exit forced Democrats to quickly come up with a never-before-used process to choose a new nominee, which involved more than 600 delegates from across the state gathering in Bangor. Jackson won the support of a majority of delegates to clinch the nomination.
Jackson’s victory was largely expected after his campaign touted that more than 480 delegates selected to go to the convention had promised to vote for him, a progressive who supports Medicare for All and dismantling Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Jackson first ran for office as a Republican in 2000 when he sought a seat inside Maine’s House of Representatives. He lost, but won two years later when he ran as an independent. He switched to the Democratic Party in 2004, and eventually became the Maine Senate president before leaving the statehouse in 2024.
He came in third while running for governor in this year’s Democratic primary election, but had the backing of Platner, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders and Our Revolution, the political organization founded by Sanders.
RELATED STORY | Bernie Sanders pulls support of Graham Platner after sexual assault allegation
Once Platner dropped out on July 10, a flood of former governor candidates — including Jackson — and others jumped to try to take Platner's place. But by July 19, most had abandoned their bids, with Jackson emerging as the clear favorite.
Jackson received early support from progressives who had backed Platner before he dropped out. Our Revolution, the political organization founded nearly a decade ago by Sen. Bernie Sanders, initially backed Jackson for governor and Platner for Senate. When Platner left the race, the group rallied behind Jackson.
Jackson previously ran Maine operations for Sanders' 2016 presidential bid. This election cycle, Sanders endorsed Jackson for governor and Platner for Senate, though the independent senator from Vermont withdrew his support for Platner after the sexual assault allegation. He said he didn't plan to weigh in on which Democrat should replace Platner.
Just one other candidate has remained in the race for the Senate nomination — women’s health company CEO Saundra Pelletier.
Jackson has supported progressive positions such as Medicare for All. He also has called for the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, whose presence in Maine has been hotly debated since an agent killed a driver in the state earlier this month.
Maine is an important piece of Democrats’ effort to win the Senate
Democrats have a narrow path to take back the Senate in November and it’s highly unlikely they can do it without a win in Maine. In addition, they need victories in competitive races in North Carolina, Alaska and Ohio, and they need to hang on to the seats they already have. That includes open Senate seats in Michigan and Minnesota, where Democratic incumbents are retiring.
Maine's Democratic primary was one of the early contests where progressives took on establishment-backed Democrats. While Platner faced several controversies during his campaign, he easily outlasted Gov. Janet Mills, who was backed by Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer but dropped out before the June 9 primary.
Platner had backing from Sanders as well as Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren. That support disintegrated after the sexual assault allegation early this month.
Collins has described Jackson as a ‘Bernie Bro’
If he becomes the nominee, Jackson will need to convince the state's large independent voting bloc that it's time to replace Collins. Republicans have called Jackson too extreme for Maine voters, and Collins said earlier this week that she knows Jackson well and that his positions are “clearly” in line with socialism.
She noted Jackson ran Sanders' first presidential campaign in Maine, adding “He's a Bernie Bro.”
Jackson would also need to scramble to make up a fundraising gulf against Collins, who has been raising money for months.
Federal filings show she has raised more than $16 million so far. Jackson's campaign this week said he raised more than $1 million since jumping into the Senate race.
Jackson said Saturday he believes his team is up to the task.
“We're not from the left, we're not from the right. We're from the bottom, and we are rising,” he said during a speech.
