# New Maine Senate race thread, moving on from Platner. (SO DON'T TALK ABOUT PLATNER) **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [July 9, 2026, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-maine-senate-race-thread-moving-on-from-platner-so-dont-talk-about-platner/1031527 "2026-07-09T00:35:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2026, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-maine-senate-race-thread-moving-on-from-platner-so-dont-talk-about-platner/1031527/61 "2026-07-13T22:00:50Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > I’m confused about those 101, and whether they’re likely to vote as a bloc. They won’t vote as a bloc, but from articles I’ve read, no one is really sure how they will vote. The consensus seems to be that the leadership and majority of the members are in the centrist, Schumer-like camp. I haven’t found anything that describes the number of progressives more specifically than a “vocal and growing minority.” I think the delegate election is going to be a complete crapshoot too. Each county elects a number of delegates according to its population, which means Cumberland County (Portland and suburbs) elects 149. Democratic voters in the county can vote for up to the number of delegates allowed in that county, so Cumberland voters can vote for 149 people. There’s no ranked voting, so they just take the 149 candidates with the highest totals. When Portland OR changed our city government 2 years ago, we had a free-for-all election for the new city council. My district had like 30 candidates, and you could vote for up to 6. It was a mess trying to understand the positions of that many candidates. I can’t image how anyone will process hundreds or thousands (over 2000 candidates had registered as of last Saturday). I expect this means it heavily comes down to organization and who can put out the simplest slate for voters to follow. I have to imagine that favors the progressive wing. For what it’s worth, Predict-It currently has the odds for the winner to be Troy Jackson at 69%, Shenna Bellows at 12%, and Nirav Shah at 11%, with everyone else below 1%. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2026, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-maine-senate-race-thread-moving-on-from-platner-so-dont-talk-about-platner/1031527/62 "2026-07-13T22:15:40Z")
The 101 are probably the Democratic members of the state legislature, plus a few statewide offices. I don’t know precisely which state offices count, but that’s about the right number for them. They probably have as much variety as the members of a single party in any legislative body. Of note, that’d make Jackson one of those 101, and he’s the president of the state senate, so he probably has the support of most of them. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2026, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-maine-senate-race-thread-moving-on-from-platner-so-dont-talk-about-platner/1031527/63 "2026-07-13T22:32:18Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > The 101 are probably the Democratic members of the state legislature, plus a few statewide offices. I don’t think that’s right. [Here’s the list of committee members.](https://mainedems.org/state-committee/) Only six of those are listed as State House or Senate Members, and Troy Jackson isn’t on the list.\* But I’m not 100% sure how this works. The list has 113 members (not including those listed as non-voting), or 92 if you remove everyone listed as an alternate. I don’t know what the 101 is. \*Actually, Jackson is no longer in the Senate since 2024. He was termed out. ---
**Author:** ![Calder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e99b99/32.png) [@Calder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Calder)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2026, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-maine-senate-race-thread-moving-on-from-platner-so-dont-talk-about-platner/1031527/64 "2026-07-13T23:17:49Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > But I’m not 100% sure how this works. The list has 113 members (not including those listed as non-voting), or 92 if you remove everyone listed as an alternate. I don’t know what the 101 is. These 113 people are the Maine Democratic State Committee — the party’s governing body between statewide conventions. They’re not appointed, not hand‑picked, and not a backroom group. They’re elected at the state convention and drawn from every county in Maine, including county chairs, county representatives, and at‑large members. Structurally, they’re the people who keep the party running between conventions: platform work, rules, organizational decisions, and general party governance. In the emergency nomination setup, the 113 serve as automatic delegates, and they vote alongside roughly 500 additional delegates chosen proportionally by county committees. So the final voting body is a little over 600 people, with the DSC making up about one‑sixth of the total. They don’t vote as a bloc, and they’re not pledged to anyone — they’re just part of the convention. As for ideological lean, the pattern suggests the 113 skew toward institutional Democrats simply because they’re elected through party structures and tend to be long‑time activists or county leaders. But Maine’s county committees vary a lot, and Platner had strong local support, so it’s entirely possible the county‑selected delegates end up more progressive than the statewide leadership. The convention as a whole will probably be a mix. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2026, 10:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-maine-senate-race-thread-moving-on-from-platner-so-dont-talk-about-platner/1031527/65 "2026-07-14T10:01:11Z")
> [@Calder](#): > > Maine’s county committees vary a lot, and Platner had strong local support, so it’s entirely possible the county‑selected delegates end up more progressive than the statewide leadership. If this were a movie, they’d pick Platner. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2026, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-maine-senate-race-thread-moving-on-from-platner-so-dont-talk-about-platner/1031527/66 "2026-07-14T22:46:56Z")
Looks like Collins may be in trouble- she voted to fund ICE(with a furrowed brow, no doubt), and now ICE has killed a legal resident, with no apparent legal reason- > **[ICE shooting in Maine sparks uproar and puts a spotlight on GOP Sen. Susan...](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/elections/ice-shooting-maine-sparks-uproar-puts-spotlight-gop-sen-susan-collins-rcna587496)** > > Democratic candidates in the expedited Senate primary point to Collins’ vote to fund the deportation agency without policy changes, with some calling to “abolish” ICE. > Democratic candidates for the expedited Senate primary are pointing to Collins’ vote to fund the deportation agency without policy changes, with some calling to “abolish” ICE. Now there is a paywall here, but not on my phone were i first read this. > WASHINGTON — The [fatal shooting by an ICE officer in Biddeford, Maine](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/biddeford-maine-ice-investigation-fatal-shooting-rcna587279), has inflamed the expedited Democratic primary for Senate, with some candidates partly blaming Republican incumbent Susan Collins for [voting last month](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/senate-votes-immigration-enforcement-trump-anti-weaponization-fund-rcna348611) to fund the agency without including a series of policy restrictions. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2026, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-maine-senate-race-thread-moving-on-from-platner-so-dont-talk-about-platner/1031527/67 "2026-07-16T22:14:07Z")
Yesterday was the deadline for candidates to submit paperwork to participate in the Democratic selection process, and twelve did so. Next up they need to get 500 signatures, including 50 voters from at least eight different counties. But the real effort is in getting their supporters to run as delegates, who will be selected at county meetings this Saturday and Sunday. It’s a ridiculous timeline to both get supporters to run and inform the voters of which delegate supports which candidate. Given this structure, it seems like the actual voting by delegates becomes a footnote – it’s really determined by which delegates are elected. Unless a bunch of civic-minded but undecided delegates are elected, or the 101 MDSC delegates vote heavily for one candidate. This will probably be a standard case study in poli-sci classes from now on. > **[A dozen Democrats are running for Maine's U.S. Senate seat](https://www.mainepublic.org/politics/2026-07-16/more-than-a-dozen-maine-democrats-are-running-for-senate)** > > The list includes many names that will be familiar to Maine Democrats — such as Troy Jackson, Nirav Shah and Shenna Bellows — but also some political newcomers. The party will select a nominee on July 25. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2026, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-maine-senate-race-thread-moving-on-from-platner-so-dont-talk-about-platner/1031527/68 "2026-07-16T23:41:59Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > Given this structure, it seems like the actual voting by delegates becomes a footnote – it’s really determined by which delegates are elected. Unless a bunch of civic-minded but undecided delegates are elected, or the 101 MDSC delegates vote heavily for one candidate Do they have to get a majority at the convention, or only a plurality? If it’s a majority, with twelve candidates (or even somewhat fewer, if not all can get enough signatures) it may well not be settled on the first vote, and some delegates will have to wind up changing their minds. That’s how the old conventions often worked. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2026, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-maine-senate-race-thread-moving-on-from-platner-so-dont-talk-about-platner/1031527/69 "2026-07-16T23:42:17Z")
Go Troy Jackson! ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2026, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-maine-senate-race-thread-moving-on-from-platner-so-dont-talk-about-platner/1031527/70 "2026-07-17T00:27:16Z")
Per the [mainedems.org](http://mainedems.org) site: > Voting will be conducted in rounds until one candidate reaches a majority. The five candidates receiving the highest number of votes in the first round will advance to the second round. Each subsequent round will eliminate the lowest vote-getter until one candidate is chosen. So you’re right, most likely some delegates will have to change their votes as the rounds progress. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2026, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-maine-senate-race-thread-moving-on-from-platner-so-dont-talk-about-platner/1031527/71 "2026-07-18T20:06:36Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > But the real effort is in getting their supporters to run as delegates, who will be selected at county meetings this Saturday and Sunday. It’s a ridiculous timeline to both get supporters to run and inform the voters of which delegate supports which candidate. It is, but ISTM if the date to be in the ballot is set by law, the alternative would have been to leave it to the established members alone and I can imagine that would upset people even more. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2026, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-maine-senate-race-thread-moving-on-from-platner-so-dont-talk-about-platner/1031527/72 "2026-07-19T00:33:58Z")
Delegates are already being collected (or nominated, which I think is functionally the same), and the results can be found at these links: > **[Delegate Nominating Meetings Results - Maine Democratic Party](https://mainedems.org/senate-race/delegate-nomination-results/)** > > Delegate Nominating Meetings Results Maine Democrats Browse The Meeting Results These are the Delegate Nominating Meetings results. Find your county's meeting results below. Androscoggin County VIEW RESULTS Aroostook County \*Results Coming Soon\* VIEW... > **[ME SEN Delegate Meeting Results (Nicholas Anastácio/National Journal's Hotline)](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1AgwruZNlnPGLVcjwljVnc01FvV8BjMstgXfX7ycwBVk/edit?usp=drivesdk)** > > This Sheet is private If I’m reading it properly, Troy Jackson is absolutely dominating and has a large majority of earned delegates so far (hooray!). ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2026, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-maine-senate-race-thread-moving-on-from-platner-so-dont-talk-about-platner/1031527/73 "2026-07-19T00:56:36Z")
Tons of chatter on Bluesky that Jackson has crossed the threshold and already has an outright majority of delegates. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2026, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-maine-senate-race-thread-moving-on-from-platner-so-dont-talk-about-platner/1031527/74 "2026-07-19T01:01:59Z")
Hmm, he has a strange past- Jackson was a Republican until 2004. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troy\_Jackson\_(politician)#Political\_positions](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troy_Jackson_(politician)#Political_positions) > Early in his legislative career, Jackson held [socially conservative](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_conservatism "Social conservatism") positions on [abortion rights](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abortion "Abortion"). In 2012, Jackson identified as [anti-abortion](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-abortion_movements "Anti-abortion movements"), and said that abortion should be illegal in all cases except for rape or incest.[[52]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troy_Jackson_(politician)#cite_note-Issues-52) > > He attributed his views of the time to his [Roman Catholic](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Catholic "Roman Catholic") upbringing[[6]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troy_Jackson_(politician)#cite_note-:1-6), though he eventually changed his positions, becoming a staunch supporter of abortion rights.[[50]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troy_Jackson_(politician)#cite_note-:3-50)[[51]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troy_Jackson_(politician)#cite_note-:4-51) > > Early in his legislative career, Jackson held socially conservative positions on [LGBTQ rights](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBTQ_rights "LGBTQ rights"). In May 2009, Jackson voted against a state legislative bill to legalize [same-sex marriage](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Same-sex_marriage "Same-sex marriage") in Maine. > > He attributed his views of the time to his [Roman Catholic](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Catholic "Roman Catholic") upbringing,[[6]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troy_Jackson_(politician)#cite_note-:1-6) and eventually changed his positions, becoming a staunch supporter of LGBTQ rights.[[50]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troy_Jackson_(politician)#cite_note-:3-50)[[51]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troy_Jackson_(politician)#cite_note-:4-51) For those worried that Platner was a sneak Republican, and would change parties, Jacksons past is really something to worry about. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2026, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-maine-senate-race-thread-moving-on-from-platner-so-dont-talk-about-platner/1031527/75 "2026-07-19T01:31:54Z")
What have you seen in his more recent voting record that causes you concern? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2026, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-maine-senate-race-thread-moving-on-from-platner-so-dont-talk-about-platner/1031527/76 "2026-07-19T03:13:14Z")
Nothing, in fact I am not very concerned. But there was a lot of talk Platner would go Republican. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2026, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-maine-senate-race-thread-moving-on-from-platner-so-dont-talk-about-platner/1031527/77 "2026-07-19T11:35:56Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Jacksons past is really something to worry about. I wouldn’t be worried about that. People do change their opinions on things like LGBTQ rights. For example, if you were to ask me in college about them, I’d be against. That was a couple generations ago and somewhere along the way, my opinions changed. I expect I’m not alone in this regard. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2026, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-maine-senate-race-thread-moving-on-from-platner-so-dont-talk-about-platner/1031527/78 "2026-07-19T12:22:09Z")
FYI, I think that quote snip materially changes what DrDeth was saying. It doesn’t represent his worry at all, but more of a commentary on what other folks might believe. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2026, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-maine-senate-race-thread-moving-on-from-platner-so-dont-talk-about-platner/1031527/79 "2026-07-19T12:46:38Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > FYI, I think that quote snip materially changes what DrDeth was saying. You’re right, but I think he should have phrased it differently. Perhaps something like “Jackson’s past could be something to worry about.” ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2026, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-maine-senate-race-thread-moving-on-from-platner-so-dont-talk-about-platner/1031527/80 "2026-07-19T12:50:53Z")
I don’t even read that as what he’s saying. It’s more akin to saying, “If you’re one of those people worried about radiation from cell towers, you should REALLY be worried about these new 5G towers!” It came across almost like a very low-level taunt. But maybe that’s not the intent. (Edit: and in any case, we’re supposed to be moving on from Platner, so I’ll stop posting about this) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-maine-senate-race-thread-moving-on-from-platner-so-dont-talk-about-platner/1031527.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-maine-senate-race-thread-moving-on-from-platner-so-dont-talk-about-platner/1031527.md?page=5)