Troy Jackson leads the field of candidates seeking to replace Graham Platner as the Democratic nominee for the Maine Senate seat.
Troy Jackson entered the Maine Democratic caucus today with 670 delegate candidates backing him, securing a significant lead over rivals Nirav Shah and Shenna Bellows. The eight counties are meeting to select 319 of the 500 delegates who will eventually choose the party's nominee at a July 25 convention. The race seeks to find a successor to Graham Platner, who withdrew from the race following a rape allegation. During a recent debate, Troy Jackson emphasized his working-class appeal, while Nirav Shah criticized the administration's handling of immigration. The candidates also addressed the recent fatal shooting of an illegal immigrant by an ICE officer in Biddeford. While the candidates showed little policy friction with one another, they focused heavily on challenging Republican incumbent Susan Collins and the policies of the administration. The convention will ultimately select the candidate who will face Collins in one of the nation's most competitive Senate races this fall.