Graham Platner's departure from Maine's US Senate race has shaken up the contest, but a credible populist candidate is ready to step in: Troy Jackson, a fifth-generation logger and former state legislator.
Who Is Troy Jackson?
Born to a 16-year-old mother in Fort Kent, Jackson grew up in the North Woods. He started working in the forests as a teenager and by 1998 led a union blockade against Canadian scab labor. His life reflects the New Deal tradition of labor Democrats, fighting for working-class communities devastated by globalization.
In 2016, Jackson was one of the few Democratic superdelegates to support Bernie Sanders over Hillary Clinton. Before Platner rose to prominence, Jackson was Maine's populist standard-bearer, known as 'Johnny Cash from Allagash.' He champions a progressive economic program and understands the realities of working-class life.
Understanding Working-Class Maine
Only 36% of Mainers hold a college degree, below the national average, with most educated voters concentrated near Portland. In Jackson's rural district in the St John valley, only about 25% have a degree. Despite the region's rightward drift, Jackson has consistently won elections since 2002. In 2022, he secured his state senate seat with 52.5% of the vote, even as Donald Trump won the area by double digits in 2024.
Jackson speaks about the humiliation of powerlessness against big business, recalling his father being ordered back to work after a strike. He argues that wage stagnation is compounded by losing pride and self-respect when employers offshore work or bring in scab labor.
The Union Advantage
A longtime union member, Jackson has deep ties to Maine's labor federation. He won numerous union endorsements in his gubernatorial bid and would likely secure them for a Senate run. The Maine AFL-CIO runs effective member-to-member mobilization campaigns, a critical asset in rural areas where Democratic ground organization is weak.
Platner's primary campaign showed that a populist platform resonates. To defeat Susan Collins, who appears stronger now than weeks ago, Democrats need a candidate who connects with working-class, inland, and rural Mainers. A logger from the North Woods seems the obvious choice.
