Maine Democrats overwhelmingly nominated Troy Jackson as their new Senate candidate on Saturday at a convention in Bangor, setting up a 101-day general election sprint against Republican incumbent Susan Collins following Graham Platner’s withdrawal from the race.
Maine Democrats picked Troy Jackson as their new Senate nominee on Saturday during a party convention in Bangor, CNN reported. The selection marks the end of an unusual and abbreviated contest following the sudden departure of Graham Platner earlier in the month amid an allegation of rape.
Jackson, the former state Senate president, secured the nomination in a nearly unanimous vote by 566 delegates after filling county meeting slots with his supporters and prompting his primary competitors to drop out. He entered the convention facing only Saundra Pelletier, a biopharmaceutical company CEO who is a political unknown, leaving the process largely devoid of the drama that previously enveloped the party.
Delegates and Leadership Rally Behind Jackson in Bangor
As Jackson took the stage to enthusiastic applause, convention organizers played Northern Attitude
by Noah Kahan, who grew up in nearby Vermont. In his acceptance speech, Jackson outlined the immediate challenges of unifying the party and taking on the incumbent Republican. There is a place in this campaign for all of you. There is work for you in this movement. And I will spend every day now through November earning that trust, because today we turn the page,
Jackson said, according to CNN. Today, this becomes a general election campaign and today we begin the work of defeating Susan Collins in November.
Washington Democratic leaders, who remained neutral during the nominating contest after a tense relationship with Platner, quickly moved to back Jackson. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, head of the Senate Democratic campaign arm, sent aides to monitor the convention and stated that Jackson has harnessed the grassroots energy in Maine and is well-positioned to defeat Collins.
Despite the national backing, Jackson stated in an interview that he does not plan to support Schumer for Democratic leader, noting that the party needs new ideas, new people coming out.
Shadow of the Prior Candidacy and Republican Counterattacks
The nomination follows weeks of turmoil surrounding Platner, whose progressive campaign drew significant grassroots support but faced intense scrutiny over his personal history. The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal reported that Platner’s wife, Amy Gertner, had previously alerted the campaign about sexual messages exchanged with other women outside their marriage. While Platner’s former political director Genevieve McDonald stated that Gertner told her the messages involved up to a dozen women, a current campaign official acknowledged communication with up to six women and stated the conduct stopped before the campaign launched.
Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., expressed uneasiness on ABC’s This Week
, stating that he had concerns
that Platner’s candidacy could be damaged and adding that that guy has questions to answer.
Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., defended Platner on CBS’ Face the Nation
, noting that the combat veteran and PTSD sufferer has certainly admitted that he has made mistakes
while contrasting his record with Donald Trump’s supporters. Meanwhile, Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J., maintained distance from the controversy, stating on CNN’s State of the Union
that he was not focusing on the Maine race and would work with whoever the people of Maine elect.
Republicans have moved swiftly to tie Jackson to the outgoing nominee. Maine Republican campaign spokesperson Shawn Roderick criticized the transition, characterizing the nomination as an appointment
by party insiders following Jackson’s third-place finish in the Democratic primary for governor just a month prior.
Jackson dismissed the early Republican attack ads as entirely false, telling CNN that his opponents are scared. They’re afraid their rubber stamp in the US Senate is going to lose.
The 101-Day General Election Landscape in Maine
With the nomination finalized, Jackson faces a steep climb against Collins, who leads the Senate Appropriations Committee and commands a substantial fundraising advantage. Collins has maintained a months-long head start with heavy ad rotations across the state. While signaling to supporters in Falmouth that she takes the race seriously and conceding privately that it could be her toughest campaign amid challenging political headwinds, her campaign emphasized her bipartisan record.
Maine Democratic Party chairman Charles Dingman urged convention activists to buckle down for the next 100 days together
and carry the room’s energy forward. As delegates waved Retire Susan
signs, Jackson positioned himself as a working-class progressive prepared to challenge Collins over her record regarding President Donald Trump in a state that Trump lost by about 7 percentage points in 2024.
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