Former Maine senator on replacing Platner: ‘The message, the movement is right’

Troy Jackson, a former state lawmaker, is seeking to center himself as the best candidate to replace Graham Platner if he exits the Maine Senate race following a new accusation of sexual assault against the Democratic nominee.

The former Maine Senate president acknowledged the “challenge” of a new candidate entering so late into this race in an interview with CNN’s Erin Burnett on Tuesday, but he expressed confidence in Maine voters’ willingness to support Democratic issues like workers’ rights and lowering healthcare costs.

“Short timeline, obviously money, all of that is going to be a challenge, but I definitely think it’s doable because the message, the movement, is right, and that’s what’s important,” Jackson said.

Jackson filed paperwork on Tuesday afternoon with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) through an exploratory committee.

The state’s Democratic Party and several key political allies have revoked their endorsements for Platner after Jenny Racicot, a woman who said she used to date him, told Politico that he forced her to have sex with him while he was intoxicated in 2021.

Platner has denied this accusation and said on Monday that his campaign was “taking the time to reflect on the best path forward.”

Jackson told CNN he believes Platner will “do the right thing and drop out” before the state’s Monday ballot deadline. If Platner exits, the Maine Democratic Party will have until July 27 to choose his replacement in this key race.

Jackson was Platner’s top pick in Maine’s gubernatorial Democratic primary last month, where he came up short to former Maine House speaker Hannah Pingree.

The former state senator said Platner “must step down” following the new allegations in a Tuesday statement shared on social media.

“While I haven’t made any final decisions yet, I’m deeply humbled by the outpouring of support and encouragement I’ve received,” he said. “I’m currently weighing the best path forward to support our progressive movement and the working class political revolution Mainers are fighting for.”

Several other Democrats in the state are jockeying to replace Platner should he choose to step aside.

Nirav Shah, another Democrat who ran for governor this year, stated publicly on Tuesday that he was weighing entering the race.

“Right now, our number one priority must be defeating Senator Susan Collins,” he said, referring to the GOP incumbent. “I have been having conversations with my wife, my team, and Mainers across the state about what comes next and evaluating whether I should enter the Senate race.”