Our Revolution, the political organization launched by Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) following his 2016 presidential bid, has thrown its support behind former Maine state lawmaker Troy Jackson to take over as the Democratic nominee in the state's U.S. Senate race. This move comes as the current nominee, Graham Platner, faces mounting pressure to withdraw after a woman accused him of sexual assault.
Jackson Steps In
Troy Jackson, who previously served as Maine's Senate president and ran for governor earlier this year, filed paperwork on Tuesday to enter the Senate race. Our Revolution's endorsement signals a strategic pivot to salvage the party's chances of flipping the seat held by Republican Senator Susan Collins.
A spokesperson for Our Revolution told The Hill that Jackson's platform—which emphasizes lowering prescription drug costs, expanding affordable housing, and reducing property taxes—closely mirrors the policy platform that won Platner the Democratic primary. The group plans to release a formal statement later Tuesday outlining its reasoning.
“Obviously, we wish it were more up to the people, there were a convention, we could redo the election. All those things, because of the time constraints, sound like it's not possible,” the spokesperson said. “But as far as influencing the process and making the case, the most approximate thing we can point to as a proxy to an election is the last one that just happened. We just did have an election, and yes, personality matters, but so does platform. The platform that won is Graham Platner's platform.”
Platner's Collapse
The endorsement shuffle follows a chaotic 24 hours for Platner, who lost nearly all his support among local and state Democrats after a woman he dated in 2021 alleged to multiple news outlets that he had sexually assaulted her that year. Platner has denied the allegation. He has not officially exited the race but said Monday he is “taking time to reflect on the best path forward.”
Platner had been Democrats' best hope to unseat Collins, but his campaign has been under scrutiny since October over past online comments and infidelity. Despite those issues, Sanders and other national Democrats continued to back him, citing his appeal to working-class voters as a plainspoken outsider and his focus on taking on corporate interests. Platner easily won the Democratic primary in early June.
However, the assault allegation has unraveled that support. Sanders himself called for Platner to withdraw, and nearly every other prominent Democrat has followed suit.
Timeline and Next Steps
Maine law gives Platner until July 13 to drop out and allow a replacement to be named. The state party must then certify a new nominee by July 27. With time running short, Our Revolution's endorsement of Jackson is a clear attempt to consolidate behind a candidate who can quickly build a campaign infrastructure.
The race against Collins remains a top priority for national Democrats, who see Maine as a pickup opportunity. But the turmoil has complicated those hopes, as Platner's campaign has effectively paused while he weighs his future.
Jackson, a former logger and union leader, brings a working-class narrative similar to Platner's. His gubernatorial run earlier this year raised his profile, and his experience as Senate president gives him institutional knowledge. Whether he can quickly raise funds and reintroduce himself to voters in a compressed timeline remains an open question.
Our Revolution's backing carries weight with the progressive base, but Jackson will need to broaden his appeal to win over the moderate and independent voters crucial in a general election against Collins.
