Maine Democrats split between technocrat Nirav Shah and logger Troy Jackson in bid to replace Graham Platner
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Former health official Nirav Shah and former state Senate president Troy Jackson are competing for the Democratic nomination to challenge Sen. Susan Collins after Graham Platner withdrew.
Maine Democrats are preparing to select a new nominee to run against Republican Sen. Susan Collins after the resignation of Graham Platner. The contest pits Nirav Shah, a former state CDC director with a J.D. and M.D., against Troy Jackson, a former legislative leader and logger with a business associate’s degree. Both candidates support progressive policies such as Medicare for All, the abolition of ICE, and ending military aid to Israel, but delegates are expected to prioritize electability.
"It’s going to be who they know, who they’re comfortable with, and who they think can beat Susan Collins," said David Farmer, a Democratic strategist in the state.
The two candidates represent contrasting backgrounds: Shah’s résumé includes studies at the University of Chicago and Oxford, experience in big-law firms, and leadership of public-health agencies, while Jackson entered politics after organizing a blockade of Canadian lumberjacks and holds a record of populist activism. A recent poll by Chism Strategies showed Jackson leading with 40% of Democratic respondents, Shah at 23%, and Secretary of State Shenna Bellows at 14%.
"I think the electorate wants the latter. They’re looking for fighters who are going to push for economic change in a corporate-dominated Washington," said Joseph Geevarghese, leader of the progressive group Our Revolution, which backs Jackson.
The nomination will be decided at a 600-person convention, a process that favors highly engaged party members rather than casual voters. Operatives suggest that the ability to secure support from eliminated candidates’ delegates could be decisive, potentially opening the door for a compromise choice such as Bellows.