Jackson Emerges as Maine Democrats’ Likely Senate Nominee. Can He Beat Collins?– legalinsurrection.com

Although it won’t become official until this weekend, former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson is poised to become the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate. With control of the upper chamber hanging in the balance, his past is certain to face intense scrutiny in the weeks ahead. Among the issues likely to draw attention are his past political alliances, electoral setbacks, and public persona.

According to Jackson’s campaign website, the fifth-generation logger from Allagash, is “ready to flip Maine’s Senate seat and unseat [Republican Sen.] Susan Collins once and for all.”

The site boasts that he’s “proven he can win — by 20 points — in a district carried by both Susan Collins and Donald Trump.” That may well be, but he just finished third in last month’s Democratic gubernatorial primary. What does that say about his statewide appeal?

The progressive Jackson was among disgraced former Democratic Senate nominee Graham Platner’s most enthusiastic supporters. Like Platner, Jackson backs universal health care, federal abortion rights, abolishing ICE, ending the so-called “genocide in Gaza,” and cutting off U.S. aid to Israel.

However, when rape allegations against Platner surfaced several weeks ago, Jackson called on him to withdraw from the race.