Maine Democrats selected Troy Jackson as the official U.S. Senate nominee to replace Graham Platner.

Troy Jackson secured the Democratic nomination for Maine's U.S. Senate seat on Saturday, replacing Graham Platner following a series of scandals. Jackson defeated Sandra Pelletier at the state convention, winning 566 votes to Pelletier's five. The nomination follows Platner's withdrawal after a sexual assault allegation, which Platner has denied. Jackson, a veteran state politician and logger, will now face incumbent Republican Senator Susan Collins in the November midterm elections. During his acceptance speech, Jackson criticized the Republican Party for current economic challenges and pledged to protect Social Security, Medicare, and abortion access. He also highlighted his commitment to the LGBTQ community and his goal of countering the policies of President Trump. While Jackson is a progressive insider, he has faced scrutiny for his past conservative leanings, including a vote against same-sex marriage. However, he has since advocated for abortion rights and expressed regret over his previous stance on marriage equality. Jackson now has approximately 101 days to build momentum for the November 3 election.

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