Troy Jackson, who previously served as a state legislator, is now poised as a leading contender to become the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate race in Maine. This development comes after a number of his rivals exited the competition over the weekend, potentially setting the stage for him to succeed Graham Platner.
The dynamics of the political race underwent a swift alteration as party meetings took place statewide. These gatherings were instrumental in selecting delegates for an upcoming nominating convention on July 25, where the Democratic opponent for Republican U.S. Senator Susan Collins will be finalized for the November election.
Throughout the weekend, Jackson’s campaign proudly announced that it had secured a commitment from hundreds of delegates who pledged their support for him at the convention. Notably, this included all of the delegates they aimed for in Maine’s largest county, Cumberland.
Jackson’s burgeoning influence became apparent as several contenders bowed out of the race.
Shenna Bellows, Maine’s Secretary of State, stepped aside on Sunday morning, stressing the importance of Democrats rallying together without delay to challenge Collins effectively.
Nirav Shah, former director of Maine’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention, dropped out and endorsed Jackson in the early evening. He was quickly followed by Dan Kleban, the co-founder of Maine Beer Company, and Jordan Wood, both of whom also endorsed Jackson.
With all of his most formidable opponents out, Jackson looked tough to beat at next weekend’s convention.
The Democrats have been scrambling to pick a new candidate after Platner, who won the Democratic primary, then withdrew from the race this month. Platner had electrified some progressives, but his campaign collapsed after several women complained about his behavior, including one former girlfriend who accused him of sexual assault. Platner denied the allegation.
Our Revolution, a progressive organization founded by Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont that had originally backed Platner, threw its support behind Jackson.
Jackson, 58, was a logger before he became a politician. He was elected to the state legislature in 2002 and ultimately became the president of Maine’s senate. He left office in 2024 due to term limits.
Jackson unsuccessfully ran to be the Democratic nominee for governor earlier this year with Platner’s backing, but wasn’t successful.