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2w ago

Troy Jackson Nears Democratic Nomination in Maine After Delegate Sweep

Victory at the party’s July 25 convention would give Democrats a unified nominee to challenge Sen. Susan Collins in a compressed fall race.

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An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows Troy Jackson, wearing a "Troy Jackson State Senate" shirt and a "Jackson Hell No to the Status Quo!" hat, speaks at a town hall, Image 2 shows U.S. senatorial candidate Graham Platner speaking at a town hall, Image 3 shows Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows speaks at a May Day rally, wearing a purple shirt with a yellow outline of Maine and the text "MSEA Local 1989 SEIU"
Troy Jackson, a Democrat from Maine, speaks during a Fighting Oligarchy event in Portland, Maine, on May 25. Photo: Sophie Park/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Overview

  • Jackson secured the committed support of a majority of county-selected delegates after weekend delegate meetings produced dominant results for his slates.
  • Several top contenders, including Shenna Bellows and Nirav Shah, suspended their campaigns over the weekend and some publicly endorsed Jackson, consolidating the field.
  • The nomination is not final because roughly 601 delegates will formally vote at the Maine Democratic Party convention on July 25 and county pledges are not legally binding.
  • If officially nominated, Jackson will have under four months to mount a statewide campaign against incumbent Sen. Susan Collins, who holds sizable fundraising and incumbency advantages.
  • Jackson’s rise was driven by organized labor support and a rapid ground operation that absorbed parts of Graham Platner’s coalition and has sharpened debate inside the party over vetting insurgent candidates and national Democrats’ response.