Troy Jackson Will Officially Be Maine’s Democratic Senate Nominee

Jackson will have just under 100 days to mount a new campaign against Republican Sen. Susan Collins.

Troy Jackson

Jackson is a progressive Democrat and a fifth-generation logger who initially entered politics as a Republican before being elected to the state House as an independent in 2002. Robert F. Bukaty / AP Photo

Former Maine state Sen. Troy Jackson handily won the state Democratic party’s support in a last-minute party convention vote on Saturday. He will take on Republican Sen. Susan Collins in November.

Former candidate Graham Platner dropped out of the race on July 8 after facing allegations of sexual assault. A dozen candidates quickly launched campaigns after Platner’s announcement, though the field had whittled itself down to Jackson and Saundra Pelletier by Friday after a televised debate last week.

The state Democratic party backed Jackson nearly unanimously via hundreds of delegates who were selected through a series of county meetings July 18-19. The deadline to submit the new nominee’s name is Monday.