Troy Jackson is emerging as a potential Senate candidate for Maine Democrats

Troy Jackson, a former Maine state representative and fifth-generation recorder from the North Maine Woods, has emerged as a potential new alternative to the state’s Democratic Senate nominee after former candidate Graham Blatner dropped out of the high-stakes race less than two weeks ago.

Blatner’s departure came after a sexual assault allegation, which he denied but was forced out anyway. That has sparked a wave of potential candidates eager to prove to Mainers that they can take on longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins.

But by Sunday, the arena was largely empty after Jackson’s supporters spent the weekend securing hundreds of delegates who promised to support him at the upcoming state convention. Under a system never before used to replace Platner, delegates will vote Saturday in Bangor on a new Senate nominee. Of the 601 delegates meeting this weekend, Jackson’s campaign says it has 481 delegates committed to supporting him.

Top opponents — from Secretary of State Sheena Bellows to Nirav Shah, the former director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention — have since withdrawn, while Jackson announced Monday that he is focusing his attention on ousting Collins.

“I am grateful to Democrats across Maine for placing their trust in me and what we are fighting for,” Jackson said in a statement. “This didn’t happen because of one person. It happened because hundreds of volunteers put in long hours, knocked on doors, made phone calls, and believed that we could build something bigger than ourselves.”

There are challenges ahead for Jackson in the race with Collins

However, securing the nomination is only the beginning of the challenges facing Jackson. There are just over 100 days left until the general election, meaning Jackson faces an uphill battle to raise campaign funds while Collins already has millions. Jackson must also create a statewide campaign network and approach the state’s large independent base.

Nicholas Jacobs, a political scientist at Colby College in Maine, said Jackson, as a former state Senate president, may be more politically scrutinized than first-time candidate Plattner, but the Woodcutter’s support for progressive policies will leave him vulnerable to many attacks from Republicans.

“The guy has some interesting attitudes,” Jacobs said. “Attitudes that are too far to the left of the median voter.”

Read more: Maine Democrats are criticizing GOP Sen. Susan Collins after the fatal shooting of a motorist in the state

Jackson supports “Medicare for All” and eliminating ICE

Like Plattner, Jackson said he wants to “get rid of” ICE, which has become front-of-mind for many Mainers after an ICE officer shot and killed a driver last week. Democrats were quick to link Collins to the beleaguered federal agency, while Jackson reiterated his support for completely dissolving ICE.

Jackson also called for “Medicare for All,” which would replace job-based private health insurance and individual insurance with a government-run plan that would guarantee coverage for everyone with no premiums or deductibles and minimal copayments for certain services.

Republicans were already criticizing Jackson, calling him a “socialist” on Monday.

“This whole process is as bad as Kamala’s rigged coronation,” said Christine Cianchi, a spokeswoman for the Republican National Committee, referring to former President Joe Biden’s decision to withdraw from the presidential race in July 2024, leaving Vice President Kamala Harris to head the Democratic ticket and ultimately lose to Republican Donald Trump.

“Maine voters have had their votes stolen by party insiders,” Cianci added.

Jackson first ran for office as a Republican

However, Jacobs said that unlike the scrutiny Blattner has faced through a series of controversies, Jackson’s background coming from “old Maine” and decades of working in the logging industry will help him.

“He’s the real deal,” Jacobs said.

In 1998, Jackson helped lead a week-long blockade along the Quebec border in an attempt to protest the hiring of Canadian loggers who were coming to Maine and driving down wage rates. The standoff ended with Jackson being escorted away by police, but led to Jackson fighting for better protections for loggers and timber haulers as a state legislator.

Jackson initially ran as a Republican in 2000 when he sought a seat within the Maine House of Representatives. He lost, but won two years later when he ran as an independent. He switched to the Democratic Party in 2004, eventually becoming Maine’s Senate President before leaving the House of Representatives in 2024.

He came in third place during his run for governor in the Democratic primary this year, but had the support of Blatner, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders and Our Revolution, the political organization founded by Sanders.

Democrats must gain four seats in the Senate to be able to control the 100-member chamber, and party leaders see Maine as an important piece of the puzzle, along with Alaska, Ohio and North Carolina.