Troy Jackson, a former Graham Platner ally, well-positioned to win Maine Democrats’ nomination to face Sen. Susan Collins
Jackson’s Delegate Surge Positions Him as Platner’s Natural Successor in Maine Senate Race
Troy Jackson a former Graham Platner – Troy Jackson, the former president of Maine’s Senate, has secured a commanding lead in what has been an abbreviated and atypical campaign to succeed Graham Platner. The Democratic nominee will ultimately challenge Republican Senator Susan Collins in a critical contest that could determine whether Democrats gain control of the United States Senate. On Saturday, during the opening day of county-level delegate selection for the July 25 convention, delegates aligned with Jackson captured approximately 300 of the 319 available positions. Should these delegates maintain their backing, Jackson would possess the necessary support to claim the nomination at the convention. The former Senate president intends to consolidate his advantage on Sunday when the remaining counties in the state select an additional 181 delegates.
Addressing his supporters on Saturday evening through the social media platform X, Jackson expressed gratitude and optimism.
We’re well on our way to getting the government that we deserve
he wrote.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you.
His message resonated with voters who have followed his political journey closely over the years.
The Path to the Nomination
Platner withdrew from the Senate race on July 10 following a cascade of controversies that included a rape accusation, which he has consistently denied. Although Jackson was among those urging Platner to conclude his campaign, the two had previously campaigned together and Jackson positioned himself as the ideal candidate to carry forward Platner’s progressive agenda. Jackson’s approach contrasts with Platner’s more theatrical style; where Platner energized crowds with his distinctive gravelly voice and passionate critiques of wealth and power, Jackson maintains a quieter, more measured demeanor.
The convention in Bangor will convene 601 delegates in total. Five hundred will emerge from this weekend’s county elections, while the remaining 101 will automatically qualify through the Democratic State Committee. Eight counties completed their delegate selections on Saturday. Delegates on slates that Jackson’s campaign released ahead of time secured approximately 94 percent of the contested positions, including every available slot in the three largest counties holding contests.
In Cumberland, the state’s most populous county and location of Portland, voters selected up to 179 of roughly 1,300 potential delegates. The top 149 recipients who met qualification requirements all appeared on Jackson’s slate. This overwhelming performance demonstrated strong organizational support for Jackson’s campaign.
Political Background and Policy Positions
Jackson originally entered the gubernatorial race in the June primary, finishing third in the initial voting round. Two other former candidates for governor—epidemiologist Nirav Shah and Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows—are also pursuing the Senate nomination at the convention. Twelve candidates had entered the race before this weekend’s county meetings began.
Similar to Platner, Jackson enjoyed the backing of Senator Bernie Sanders, the Vermont independent, during his previous campaign. He campaigned on a platform designed to appeal to working-class progressives. Jackson advocates for Medicare for All, increasing taxes on billionaires, and eliminating Immigration and Customs Enforcement. He has also taken a position against military assistance to Israel, a stance that places him among Democrats who are divided regarding the United States’ relationship with the nation.
Jackson has participated in Maine politics for more than twenty years. The majority of that time was spent in the state Senate, where he served as president from 2018 through 2024. How Jackson will present his case against Collins remains to be determined, though he has followed a similar path to Platner in criticizing the senator as part of an elitist group that has neglected working-class Mainers.
All the candidates for the nomination have recently criticized Collins for being too supportive of ICE following an incident in which an ICE agent shot and killed a man in Biddeford, a coastal Maine community. During a debate on Thursday, Jackson stated that Collins
should have been able to stop ICE
in her capacity as head of the influential Senate Appropriations Committee. As the convention approaches, Jackson appears well-positioned to unite Platner’s supporters while maintaining his own distinct political identity.
