Troy Jackson isn’t trying to ignore the past, but he’s focused on the future.
After winning the primary, Graham Platner suspended his Senate campaign in July once he was accused of sexual assault. Through a lightning-round process of caucuses and a convention, Maine Democrats turned to Jackson. He’s the Democratic nominee now, and as a former state Senate president and gubernatorial candidate, he feels prepared for the battle he’s been pulled into.
Earning the nomination took a feat of organizing that showed Jackson’s significant strength at the grassroots level. “This campaign is about a movement that I’ve never seen before in Maine, and I’ve been waiting a long time for something like this to happen,” Jackson told the Prospect.
Jackson said this campaign isn’t about him but “everyday people” standing up and demanding the government they deserve. He said he’s been blown away by the amount of energy he’s seeing in Maine, and he thinks people are ready to send longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins into retirement.
“I think a lot of it’s born out of frustration,” Jackson said. “People should have health care, prescription drug coverage, child care. I mean, in Maine, we’re really in trouble with nursing home elder care. We’ve lost about 40 percent of our nursing homes. Housing has become a major issue, and making sure that people have abortion access.”
If Democrats were looking for a working-class hero without a lot of baggage, they’ve found it in Jackson.
The media has portrayed Jackson as a logical replacement for Platner, because he’s from a working-class background and holds progressive values, which is how many saw Platner. Jackson is a fifth-generation logger, and for eight years he represented Maine Senate District 1, which covers the northern tip of the state. I grew up in Maine, and I can tell you that’s a very conservative and rural district.
“I am from the same district that Susan Collins is from. That’s where I’ve been representing for years—in an area that voted for Trump in the last three elections,” Jackson said. “I’ve got a 22-year career of fighting for all of these things in the state legislature. My background is right there.”
Democrats have gotten excited about the prospect of defeating Collins before, such as in the 2020 race between Collins and former Maine House Speaker Sara Gideon. Collins won that race by eight points. Jackson said things are different now.
“[People] know that the government’s not working for them … They’re frustrated,” Jackson said. “She chose to do nothing but give in to the one percent and Trump. Voters just aren’t stupid. They know exactly what’s going on.”
A clear example of the bind Collins is in came this week, when Vice President JD Vance came to Maine to campaign. Collins decided not to show up to the event, a sign of just how unpopular Trump administration policies are in a Democratic-leaning state; Vance shouted her out for “doing a great job” anyway.
Jackson said Collins’s decision to vote for the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, her procedural vote for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, and her refusal to truly stand up to Trump are some of the reasons Mainers want to defeat Collins. The latter two are connected; Collins voted no on the final passage of OBBBA, but she wasn’t needed for that. She could have stopped it earlier in the process, but declined. These performative no votes that have no actual value and do not provide any meaningful check on the right-wing agenda are a hallmark of Collins’s career.
OBBBA funded ICE to the tune of $170 billion, cut Medicaid funding, and lowered taxes for the rich. All of those issues have become central to the Senate race. “Our health care system is in crisis here in Maine. There’s just no doubt about it,” Jackson said. “What’s the federal government’s answer? We’ll give Elon Musk more tax breaks. They don’t care about everyday people.”
It’s hard for Mainers to believe how ineffective Collins has been in the Senate in recent years, Jackson said, as she has quite a bit of power as the chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee. She’s also been in Congress for decades and should know how to wield power. Yet the Trump administration has repeatedly defied appropriations laws by canceling grants and defunding agencies, with little more than expressions of concern from Collins.
“She’s supposed to be the most powerful U.S. senator in the whole place, as chair of Appropriations. People know. They understand the government better than she wants to believe,” Jackson said. “To spend 30 years and get to that position to just give up all of your power to Donald Trump is just the most ridiculous thing in the world.”
In terms of what Jackson would do as a senator should he be elected, he pointed to passing Medicare for All as a major focus. He says he’d be a “dog with a bone” on that issue, as universal health care is something he’s long supported.
“Health care is probably the most pressing reason why I ran for the legislature. That would be one of my biggest focuses,” Jackson said. “I do believe that we should have Medicare for All. I believe everyone should have quality health insurance. It just makes people’s lives so much easier, so much better and obviously so much healthier.”
Labor issues are also central to Jackson’s agenda, he said, and he believes he could end up being the most pro-labor senator in the country.
As for who should lead the Senate if Democrats manage to take control of it in November, Jackson thinks it’s time for a change. “I don’t support Sen. Schumer’s leadership,” Jackson said. “I think it’s time for new blood, new ideas. I don’t know who else is running, but more than anything, I need to win this election. I’ll figure that out afterwards.”
If you’re imagining Jackson as a folksy, kind man from rural Maine, that is also the feeling I got from him during our interview. When I told him I grew up in Maine, he eagerly asked what part I was from. If Democrats were looking for a working-class hero without a lot of baggage, they’ve found it in Jackson. The polls show he currently has a narrow lead over Collins. Maybe this will be the year Collins’s long reign finally comes to an end.
