Troy Jackson Secures Majority Delegate Support for Maine Senate Democratic Nomination

Maine Democrats released the convention ballot on Saturday listing former state Senate president Troy Jackson and two other candidates for the U.S. Senate nomination. State party officials said Jackson's preferred delegates now hold a majority of seats at next week's nominating convention in Bangor, which will formalize the replacement for Graham Platner.

Jackson, a fifth-generation logger from Allagash, previously served as Senate president and shares Platner's emphasis on working-class issues. A July 16 debate at the WCSH-6 studio in Portland featured Jackson alongside Shenna Bellows, Dr. Nirav Shah, and Jordan Wood. Jackson's top rivals later withdrew after delegate support shifted toward him.

University of Maine at Farmington political science professor James Melcher said Jackson would retain nearly all of Platner's backers. The convention outcome will determine the Democratic candidate facing Republican Sen. Susan Collins in November. National party involvement in the race remains uncertain following the shift from Platner.