Former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson, the presumed replacement to Graham Platner on the Democratic ticket for U.S. Senate, has a long history of emphasizing the importance of democracy despite being set to accept a nomination without a single vote being cast for him.
“I’ve always believed that our democracy is at its best when everyone has a chance to participate – whether I agree with you on an issue or not,” Jackson posted on X in 2020 leading up to a Maine Democratic primary.
Jackson, a fifth-generation logger who ran in the Democratic primary for governor and finished third, has echoed that sentiment on many occasions, stressing the importance of voters being heard.
“The work of our democracy is one of constant engagement,” Jackson posted on X in 2024. The same year he wrote, “Our democracy hinges on our ability to participate in free and fair elections, and our ability to accept the results – even when it doesn’t go our way.”
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“I believe in my heart that our state is at its best when everyone has a chance to make their voice heard and fully participate in our democracy,” Jackson posted on X last November.
Jackson, who has also promoted the “No Kings” protests and railed against oligarchs, has faced criticism in recent weeks from his Republican opponents for jumping in the race to replace Platner, and presumably winning, via a process where delegates and party officials control the outcome rather than voters.
“Troy Jackson has no problem casting his principles aside when the process is rigged in his favor,” Natalie Baldassarre, RNC national press secretary, told Fox News Digital. “He’s just another hypocritical socialist who talks like a logger but will cut deals with D.C. elites to game the system and get his way.”
“There are no kings in America, right @TroyJackson207?” Kristen Cianci, Republican National Committee Northeast regional comms director, posted on X this week. “Doesn’t seem to bother you when you’re the one being crowned.”
“Troy Jackson has a clear path to be the nominee for Senate, almost a week BEFORE the nominating convention,” Maine Republican state Rep. Laurel Libby posted on X. “So much for no kings… “
Additionally, some Democrats in Maine have expressed frustration about the lack of democracy in the process to replace Platner, Politico reported this week.
“We were not under the impression that people were going to be already coming into this process predetermined,” Platner supporting Maine Democratic voter Lindsey Harwath told the outlet about the process. “That seems very undemocratic. That seems like rigging a process before you’ve done it.”
Fox News Digital reached out to the Jackson campaign for comment.
Jackson won the vast majority of the 500 slots that were up for grabs on Saturday and Sunday as Maine’s 16 counties held two days of delegate selection for next weekend’s state Democratic Party nominating convention to replace Platner.
While the delegates on Jackson’s slate are not required to support him at next weekend’s convention in Bangor, Maine, he is now considered all but certain to secure the nomination and face off in the midterm elections against Republican Sen. Susan Collins in what’s expected to be a combative and expensive ballot box battle. It will be among a dozen races nationwide that will determine if the Democrats can win back the Senate majority. The GOP currently holds the chamber 53-47.
Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.
