Democrats in Maine formally nominate Troy Jackson as their new candidate for U.S. Senate

Democrats in Maine formally nominated Troy Jackson as their new candidate for U.S. Senate, setting up a matchup against incumbent Republican Susan Collins in this fall’s midterm election. The decision was made at a nominating convention held in Bangor, Maine, on Saturday, where Jackson, the former president of the Maine Senate, won with support from 566 of 571 delegates. The updated announcement came at 2:19 PM EDT on July 25, 2026. Jackson will replace Graham Platner, whose campaign was suspended earlier in the month after a woman he dated alleged he raped her in 2021; Platner denied the accusation. Jackson, a fifth-generation logger from northern Maine, is running on an economic populist message focused on affordability, Medicare for All, and higher taxes for the ultra-wealthy and large corporations. The article notes additional positions, including calls to abolish ICE and end U.S. military aid to Israel, as well as shifting stances on LGBTQ civil rights legislation and federalizing abortion protections.