Maine Democrats convened in Bangor on Saturday to formally nominate a replacement candidate for U.S. Senate, after the collapse of Graham Platner’s scandal-plagued campaign, Congress.net reported.
The party is seeking to regroup quickly, with control of the Senate potentially hinging on the outcome of the Maine race this November.
Democrats need a net gain of four seats to reclaim the chamber, and party strategists consider Maine one of their strongest pickup opportunities heading into the fall.
Platner, the party’s initial nominee, withdrew from the race earlier this month after a woman he previously dated accused him of raping her in 2021, an allegation Platner has denied.
His departure triggered an abbreviated and chaotic search for a replacement candidate capable of sustaining the energy his campaign had generated.
Former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson entered the race as the clear front-runner, having secured support from the bulk of elected delegates ahead of Saturday’s convention.
Jackson, a fifth-generation logger from northern Maine, is running on an economic populist platform that closely mirrors Platner’s approach, championing Medicare for All, higher taxes on the ultra-wealthy and large corporations, and rejecting what he describes as the Democratic establishment.
He is also calling for the abolishment of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, an end to U.S. military aid to Israel, federal civil rights protections for LGBTQ Americans, and federalizing abortion rights.
On the question of abortion, Jackson’s position represents an evolution from more conservative stances he held earlier in his public life, a shift that some supporters have addressed directly.
Democratic state Sen. Stacy Brenner, who also has a background as a farmer and nurse, dismissed concerns about Jackson’s record on reproductive rights as a reason not to back 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,” Brenner said.
“That’s what’s happened for Troy,” she added.
Recent reporting from The Washington Post and CNN described Jackson as exhibiting a short temper with colleagues during his time in office, though he has faced minimal public pushback from Maine’s state leaders ahead of the convention.
The ultimate challenge for whoever wins the nomination is the sheer scale of what lies ahead, with roughly 100 days remaining before voting closes on November 3.
Collins, who has held her Senate seat for 30 years, reported $11 million in cash on hand in her latest Federal Election Commission filing, representing a formidable financial advantage over any challenger.
Democrats nonetheless argue that Collins is unusually vulnerable this cycle, pointing to the fact that Maine was carried by Kamala Harris in 2024 and that many voters have grown frustrated with President Trump’s handling of the economy and the war in Iran.
Jackson’s campaign reported raising more than $1 million since he announced his run, which his team is citing as evidence of grassroots momentum.
“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,” he added.
