Maine Democrats Crown Platner Successor as New Scandals Emerge

Clear Facts

• Troy Jackson, a former Maine state Senate president, is set to become the Democratic nominee to face Sen. Susan Collins after Graham Platner’s campaign imploded amid scandal
• New reports have surfaced questioning Jackson’s workplace conduct, alleged mortgage improprieties, and past strict anti-abortion stance
• Democrats are rushing Jackson through a rapid nomination process with minimal vetting, raising concerns within the party about replacing one problematic candidate with another

Maine Democrats are preparing to coronate Troy Jackson as their Senate nominee on Saturday, despite fresh warning signs emerging about the candidate hastily selected to replace disgraced former nominee Graham Platner. The rushed process has left some party strategists worried that Democrats have once again failed to properly vet their candidate in this crucial Senate race.

Jackson, who serves as a former state Senate president and fifth-generation logger from northern Maine, has secured the backing of most voting delegates and appears certain to win nomination at the Maine Democratic Party convention in Bangor. His top rivals have already dropped out and endorsed him, leaving only one long-shot candidate as an alternative.

The seat currently held by moderate Republican Sen. Susan Collins represents one of Democrats’ best pickup opportunities as they seek to reclaim Senate control. Collins is the only GOP incumbent running for re-election in a state President Donald Trump lost in 2024.

“Let’s get to work to defeat Susan Collins and create the Maine that working people deserve,” Jackson wrote in a social media post ahead of the convention.

But the momentum behind Jackson’s candidacy has been tempered by troubling revelations. Recent reports have raised questions about Jackson’s alleged temper and workplace conduct, claimed mortgage improprieties, and other potential liabilities including his past strict anti-abortion stance—a particularly problematic position for a Democratic candidate in the post-Roe political landscape.

“This is a bit of a rocket vetting process,” a Democratic strategist who works on Senate races told Fox News Digital, speaking on condition of anonymity. “Maine Democrats have seemingly made their choice and they’re just going to have to ride with it.”

Another veteran Democratic consultant was even more blunt about the party’s prospects in Maine.

“It’s very clear that Democrats should not be looking to Maine to flip the Senate,” the consultant said. “The good news is that we have upset opportunities in places like Texas, Iowa, and Alaska.”

The comments reveal growing concern among national Democrats that Maine has become a distraction rather than an opportunity. The state party’s handling of the Senate race has been marked by chaos from the start.

Graham Platner, a military combat veteran and oyster farmer backed by Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders, had surged to the Democratic nomination after even forcing two-term Gov. Janet Mills out of the race. Mills, who had been heavily recruited by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, suspended her campaign this spring after trailing Platner in both fundraising and polling.

But Platner’s rise came crashing down earlier this month when he dropped out amid an explosive report containing an allegation of rape from a woman he previously dated. Platner denied the report but exited the race under pressure from Democratic leaders in Maine and nationally.

Jackson, who had campaigned alongside Platner during the primary after his own unsuccessful gubernatorial bid, quickly positioned himself as the natural successor to carry forward Platner’s progressive populist movement. He has assembled much of Platner’s coalition, including backing from Sanders-affiliated groups and labor unions.

The candidate is running on a far-left platform that includes raising taxes on billionaires, implementing “Medicare-for-all” universal healthcare, abolishing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and opposing military aid to Israel. These positions align him firmly with the progressive wing of the Democratic Party but may prove challenging in a general election.

Rep. Ro Khanna of California, a leading House progressive and potential 2028 presidential contender, was a top Platner backer who quickly transferred his support to Jackson. The candidate also enjoys strong backing from labor unions in Maine, which helped him secure the overwhelming majority of county-selected delegates last weekend.

Republicans are crying foul over the process, arguing that Democratic Party insiders manipulated the system to install their preferred candidate without input from voters.

“Maine voters have been shut out by the Democrat establishment with a rigged nominating process to crown Platner 2.0 without a single vote being cast,” Republican National Committee spokesperson Kristen Cianci charged in a statement.

The criticism echoes broader conservative concerns about how Democratic Party machinery operates to control outcomes and limit voter choice in primary contests.

Sen. Collins faces headwinds as she seeks a sixth term, including President Trump’s challenging approval ratings, persistent inflation, and an unpopular conflict with Iran. But the moderate Republican senator has a proven track record of defying political gravity in Maine.

Collins is known for her independent streak and willingness to occasionally break with Trump and Republican leadership. Last month, she received bipartisan praise for reaching a milestone by casting her 10,000th consecutive Senate vote—a testament to her dedication and longevity in the chamber.

Democrats are targeting Collins over her 2018 vote to confirm Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, particularly given his role in the decision overturning Roe v. Wade four years later. Collins has said she does not regret her vote.

The senator has also drawn Democratic criticism for her support of ICE funding, particularly following a fatal shooting in Maine earlier this month involving federal immigration agents. But Collins, as chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, has defended robust funding for immigration enforcement.

Six years ago, Collins demonstrated her electoral resilience by defeating Democratic challenger Sara Gideon despite trailing in polls. The senator won re-election by nearly 9 points, defying expectations and outside spending against her.

The Maine Senate race is expected to be fiercely competitive and expensive, with outside groups on both sides prepared to spend heavily. The first Fox News Power Rankings of the 2026 midterms rate the contest as a toss-up.

A recent Pine Tree Poll conducted by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center showed Jackson with a slight three-point edge over Collins among likely general election voters in Maine, within the margin of error. However, Collins has consistently outperformed her polling in previous elections.

The 500 delegates chosen last weekend, along with 101 selected by the state party, will vote for the nominee at Saturday’s convention. While delegates on Jackson’s slate are not technically required to support him, he is considered virtually certain to secure the nomination.

The rushed process stands in stark contrast to the lengthy, deliberative approach typically used to select major party nominees. Democratic insiders acknowledge the risks but argue they had little choice given Platner’s sudden departure and the compressed timeline before the general election.

For Maine voters, the spectacle of watching Democrats scramble to replace one scandal-plagued nominee with another inadequately vetted candidate raises serious questions about the party’s judgment and competence.

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