BANGOR, Maine – Former state lawmaker and logger Troy Jackson secured the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in Maine on Saturday, July 25, 2026, setting the stage for a November showdown against five-term Republican incumbent Sen. Susan Collins. This highly anticipated contest could prove crucial in determining which party controls the U.S. Senate.
Jackson, 58, a former Maine Senate president and fifth-generation logger from rural northern Maine, was chosen by delegates at the Maine Democratic Nominating Convention held in Bangor. He replaces Graham Platner, who won the Democratic primary in June but withdrew from the race earlier this month following an allegation of sexual assault, which Platner has denied.
The Maine Democratic Party scrambled to select a new nominee after Platner's withdrawal, with state law mandating a replacement be named by Monday, July 27, 2026 – just 101 days before the November 3 election. Hundreds of Democratic delegates, elected at county party meetings last weekend, gathered in Bangor, approximately 130 miles (209 kilometers) north of Portland, where Jackson secured an easy victory over his sole opponent.
Democrats view Maine as their most promising opportunity to flip a Senate seat this year, especially since President Donald Trump lost the state in 2024. However, defeating Collins, 73, will be a significant challenge. The incumbent holds a substantial fundraising advantage, having raised over $16 million so far, while Jackson will have less than four months to connect with voters and close a considerable fundraising gap. Jackson's campaign reported raising more than $1 million since he entered the Senate race.
Republicans quickly launched an offensive against Jackson, with the Senate Leadership Fund, a GOP super PAC, committing to spend over $42 million to oppose him. They have accused Jackson of having a volatile temper and have sought to link him to Platner. RNC spokesperson Kristen Cianci stated that Jackson is “a Platner apologist, a radical Bernie Bro, and a walking red flag displaying all the warning signs of the early days of the Platner campaign.”
Collins herself commented on Jackson earlier this week, stating she knows him well and that his positions are “clearly” in line with socialism. She further noted that Jackson ran U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders’ first presidential campaign in Maine, calling him a “Bernie Bro.” When asked by reporters about this description, Jackson responded, “I don’t really care. What I am is a guy from northern Maine that’s a logger.”
Jackson will need to persuade Maine’s large independent voting bloc that it is time for a change. Republicans have labeled him as too extreme for Maine voters. Collins’ campaign spokesperson, Shawn Roderick, criticized Jackson, saying, “Troy Jackson will attempt to sell Mainers a multi-trillion dollar bill of goods based on rhetoric that will make everything sound free, but in reality would be paid for by middle and lower income workers.”
Both Jackson and Collins hail from northern Maine, a region where traditional industries like potato farming, timber harvesting, lobster fishing, and tourism are vital to the economy. Both candidates are expected to emphasize their leadership in protecting these industries over the coming months.
Jackson, who supported progressive positions such as Medicare for All and called for the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)—whose presence in Maine has been debated since an agent killed a driver in the state earlier this month—plans to attack Collins on her record of supporting tax cuts for the wealthy and failing to protect health care.
Jackson's political history includes an initial run for office as a Republican in 2000, which he lost. He won as an independent two years later, switched to the Democratic Party in 2004, and eventually became the Maine Senate president before leaving the statehouse in 2024. He came in third in this year’s Democratic primary for governor, where he had the backing of Platner and Our Revolution, the political organization founded by Sanders.
Support for Platner, which included endorsements from Sanders, Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego, and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, dissolved after the sexual assault allegation. Once Platner dropped out on July 10, a number of former gubernatorial candidates, including Jackson, vied for the Senate nomination. By July 19, most had withdrawn, leaving Jackson as the clear favorite, especially among progressives who had previously supported Platner.
Jackson acknowledged the frustration among Platner’s former supporters, telling reporters, “I agree there are people that are still very frustrated and angry what happened. I understand that. All I’m trying to do is explain to them that his campaign was about the issues.” He also emphasized that his campaign was “bigger than any one person,” and stated he has not been in touch with Platner since his withdrawal.
For Democrats, a victory in Maine is considered highly unlikely to take back the Senate in November without wins in other competitive races in North Carolina, Alaska, and Ohio, in addition to holding their current seats, including open ones in Michigan and Minnesota where Democratic incumbents are retiring.
