Former Maine state senator announces campaign after Platner suspension

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Former Maine state Sen. Troy Jackson (D) on Wednesday announced his campaign to run against Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), not long after Democratic Senate nominee Graham Platner dropped out of the race amid a slew of scandals.

“There is a powerful movement of working class people in the state of Maine, and millions more across America who are ready to send a progressive fighter to the Senate,” Jackson wrote on the social platform X. “I’ve been fighting for that movement my whole life — and I’m sure as hell not backing down now, when this fight is needed most.”

“I’m in,” he continued. “And we’re going to defeat Susan Collins. Maine deserves a Senator that will fight for working families.”

Jackson also shared an ActBlue donation link in a second post, writing, “Flipping this seat has to be our #1 priority every single day between now and November. If you’re with me, I need you to step up today.”

His name was already floated among the list of other state lawmakers who could potentially replace Platner on the ballot. He previously ran for governor in the Pine Tree State but lost during the state’s primary last month.

The Maine Democratic Party is now tasked with making a replacement nomination for the general election, according to state law. The party has until 5 p.m. on July 27 to complete the process and announce a new candidate.

The party’s executive director, Devon Murphy-Anderson, said the candidate selection process will be “open, inclusive, transparent and fair.”

Platner exited the race Wednesday night after a former girlfriend accused the oyster farmer, in interviews with Politico and CNN, of sexually assaulting her while highly intoxicated during an incident in 2021. The progressive candidate said Monday that his campaign was “taking the time to reflect on the best path forward” before later announcing that it was over.

“We believe that for the movement to continue it can’t be me, and for that reason, we are suspending campaign operations,” he told supporters. “This is incredibly difficult, because I know that some will think it’s an admission of guilt, and it most certainly is not.”

Platner’s campaign faced a series of controversies ahead of the primary. The New York Times previously reported before the primary that one ex-girlfriend, Lyndsey Fifield, alleged the Democrat could be physically rough with her at times, though she said he didn’t cause any injuries.

The Washington Post also reported, in an interview with Fifield published after the Politico report, that Platner allegedly removed his condom without her consent while having sex.

The campaign pushed back on revelations that he had sent sexually explicit messages to multiple women early on in his marriage. Platner also covered up a tattoo on his chest after backlash suggesting that it resembled a Nazi icon, which Fifield alleged Platner referred to as “my Totenkopf.”

The candidate denied the allegations of sexual assault and physical roughness with former partners and said he was unaware of the tattoo’s likeness to a Totenkopf. He also attributed controversial posts on Reddit that drew backlash to his struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder following his military deployments.

Democrats and progressives withdrew their endorsements for Platner after the latest allegations were reported. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who championed Platner’s campaign and its message, said he “recommended that he step aside.”

Tags

Bernie Sanders

Graham Platner

Maine

Maine Senate race

Platner campaign

Platner controversies

sexual assault allegations

Susan Collins

Troy Jackson

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