Former Maine state Sen. Troy Jackson (D) officially entered the U.S. Senate race Wednesday, seizing the opening created by the collapse of Graham Platner's campaign amid a cascade of sexual misconduct allegations. Jackson, a labor-backed progressive who recently lost the Democratic gubernatorial primary, immediately positioned himself as a working-class champion capable of unseating four-term Republican Sen. Susan Collins.
"There is a powerful movement of working class people in the state of Maine, and millions more across America who are ready to send a progressive fighter to the Senate," Jackson wrote on X. "I've been fighting for that movement my whole life — and I'm sure as hell not backing down now, when this fight is needed most." He added, "I'm in. And we're going to defeat Susan Collins. Maine deserves a Senator that will fight for working families."
Jackson's announcement came just hours after Platner, an oyster farmer and political newcomer, suspended his campaign following a series of reports detailing allegations from former partners. The departure leaves the Maine Democratic Party scrambling to nominate a replacement by a July 27 deadline under state law. Party Executive Director Devon Murphy-Anderson has pledged the process will be "open, inclusive, transparent and fair," though some staffers have complained that grassroots voices are being excluded.
Platner's downfall began with a Politico and CNN report in which a former girlfriend accused him of sexually assaulting her while she was highly intoxicated in 2021. The Washington Post later reported that another ex-partner, Lyndsey Fifield, alleged Platner had removed a condom without consent and described a tattoo on his chest as "my Totenkopf," a symbol associated with Nazi SS units. Platner denied the assault allegations, said he was unaware of the tattoo's Nazi connotations, and attributed controversial Reddit posts to PTSD from military service.
The candidate initially said he was "taking the time to reflect on the best path forward," but on Wednesday he announced the end of his campaign. "We believe that for the movement to continue it can't be me, and for that reason, we are suspending campaign operations," Platner told supporters. "This is incredibly difficult, because I know that some will think it's an admission of guilt, and it most certainly is not."
Key Democratic allies quickly withdrew their support. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who had championed Platner's campaign, said he "recommended that he step aside." The episode has deepened internal party divisions, with Maine Democrats plagued by internal strife as they race to field a credible challenger to Collins.
Jackson, who previously served as state Senate majority leader, now becomes the frontrunner for the nomination. His gubernatorial primary loss last month left him available for a Senate bid, and his name had been floated as a potential replacement. He wasted no time launching fundraising, sharing an ActBlue link and declaring, "Flipping this seat has to be our #1 priority every single day between now and November."
The race against Collins, one of the most moderate Republicans in the Senate, remains a top Democratic target. But the Platner scandal has complicated what was already an uphill battle in a state that has not elected a Democrat to the Senate since 2012. With Jackson now in the race, Democrats hope to reset their message around economic populism and avoid further controversy.
