Troy Jackson, who urged Platner to quit, now laments scandal that ended his campaign

A Reluctant Successor

Maine's newly chosen Democratic Senate nominee, Troy Jackson, has expressed regret over the circumstances that brought him into the race. Jackson, a former logger and Maine state Senate president, replaced Graham Platner after Platner's campaign ended in July amid sexual assault allegations he has denied.

"I wish nothing would have happened with Graham," Jackson said, according to Fox News. "I wish, you know, things would have continued like all that. It would have been much better. But when it did, I just didn't want to see all these people that are looking for somebody to fight for them go away once again broken and hopeless."

Jackson, a progressive who worked on Bernie Sanders' presidential campaigns, had finished third in Maine's gubernatorial primary earlier this summer. After Platner exited the race, Jackson was selected by Maine Democrats to face incumbent Sen. Susan Collins in a contest that could influence the Senate's balance of power.

Jackson had previously called on Platner to step aside, stating that the allegations were "serious, credible, and deserving of full accountability — they cannot and must not be ignored."

Jackson's Own Controversies

Jackson has faced scrutiny over past incidents, including a water bottle-throwing episode and a 1988 police record alleging assault of a man and pushing his longtime partner, Lana Pelletier. Collins declined to comment on the police record but said Jackson appears to struggle to control his temper, as reported by Fox News.

Write-In Effort for Platner

While Jackson prepares for the general election, a grassroots effort is urging voters to write in Platner's name on the November ballot. Supporters are asking voters to rank Platner as their first choice and Jackson second, a strategy outlined in a Bangor Daily News op-ed by Scott Niemi of Lewiston.

"Show up to the poll in November, Write-In Graham as your #1 choice, and rank Troy Jackson as your #2 choice," wrote Scott Talkoot in a message passed on from Platner. "Under ranked-choice voting, voting Graham #1 honors our movement, while ranking Troy #2 ensures we consolidate our collective strength to defeat Susan Collins."

The push comes ahead of a 5 p.m. Tuesday deadline for Platner to register as a write-in candidate. Platner has indicated he does not intend to declare himself a write-in candidate, according to the Facebook group coordinating the effort. The group plans to text Platner to persuade him to reconsider.

Supporters believe Platner's departure was orchestrated by the political establishment, citing what they describe as suspicious timing, omitted details, and no opportunity to defend himself. The Facebook group said Platner returned from military service with PTSD, and using that to orchestrate a political removal is "disgraceful."

Niemi's strategy argues that ranking Jackson second would keep the seat competitive and unite anti-establishment voters against Collins. Under Maine law, write-in votes for undeclared candidates do not count, so if Platner does not register by the deadline, those votes would not be tallied.

The Washington Examiner reported that Platner could not be reached for comment, and Jackson's campaign was also contacted. It remains unclear what Platner will decide, but his supporters express confidence that he is not leaving politics.