Former Maine lawmaker Troy Jackson poised to replace Graham Platton as Democratic Senate nominee

Troy Jackson, a former Maine legislator and fifth-generation logger from the North Maine Woods, is set to replace Graham Platton as the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate. Platton withdrew less than two weeks ago following a sexual-assault allegation that he denied. Jackson’s supporters secured a majority of the 601 delegates who will vote at a state convention in Bangor on Saturday, with the campaign reporting 481 pledged delegates.

Other potential candidates, including Secretary of State Shenna Bellows and former Maine CDC director Nirav Shah, have withdrawn, leaving Jackson as the clear front-runner. He said he is focusing on defeating incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins and thanked volunteers for their efforts.

Jackson faces a short campaign timeline, with just over 100 days before the November election, and a fundraising gap compared with Collins, who has already raised millions. He will need to build a statewide network and appeal to Maine’s sizable independent electorate. Political scientist Nicholas Jacobs noted that Jackson’s progressive positions, such as support for “Medicare for All” and the elimination of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, place him to the left of the median voter and could invite criticism from Republicans.

Jackson’s background includes decades in the logging industry and a history of labor activism, such as leading a 1998 blockade against Canadian loggers on the Quebec border. He first ran for office as a Republican in 2000, won a seat as an independent in 2002, and switched to the Democratic Party in 2004, eventually serving as state Senate president before leaving office in 2024. He previously finished third in the Democratic gubernatorial primary and received endorsements from figures including Sen. Bernie Sanders and the organization Our Revolution.