# 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:** 5
**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, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-maine-senate-race-thread-moving-on-from-platner-so-dont-talk-about-platner/1031527/81 "2026-07-19T18:24:12Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > 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. Yes, I am only very slightly worried. ---
**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, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-maine-senate-race-thread-moving-on-from-platner-so-dont-talk-about-platner/1031527/82 "2026-07-19T23:23:26Z")
Jackson’s main opponents have dropped out and endorsed him; it’s all but official that he will be the candidate. > **[Nirav Shah drops out of Senate race, endorses Troy Jackson](https://www.wmtw.com/article/nirav-shah-drops-out-of-senate-race-endorses-troy-jackson/73180915)** > > Former Maine CDC Director Nirav Shah has announced that he is withdrawing from the race to become the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate and endorsing Troy Jackson. ---
**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, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-maine-senate-race-thread-moving-on-from-platner-so-dont-talk-about-platner/1031527/83 "2026-07-19T23:44:59Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Jackson’s main opponents have dropped out and endorsed him; it’s all but official that he will be the candidate. The expected and pretty good choice. Lets see how he does in the Polls. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2026, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-maine-senate-race-thread-moving-on-from-platner-so-dont-talk-about-platner/1031527/84 "2026-07-20T02:31:54Z")
I _think_ this is a good result. Jackson appears to have progressive credibility and a solid record. But who knows what the MAGA scum/GOP will manufacture to tar his reputation. ---
**Author:** ![ShadowFacts](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shadowfacts/32/2934_2.png) [@ShadowFacts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadowFacts)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2026, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-maine-senate-race-thread-moving-on-from-platner-so-dont-talk-about-platner/1031527/85 "2026-07-20T12:05:59Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Jackson’s main opponents have dropped out and endorsed him; it’s all but official that he will be the candidate. More details from [The Boston Globe](https://www.bostonglobe.com/2026/07/20/nation/troy-jackson-susan-collins-maine/?s_campaign=sharetool_copypaste_view) (no gift link available): > In 3 of the state’s 16 counties, Jackson’s supporters won every delegate spot. In five others, he won all but one delegate. That included Cumberland County, the state’s largest by population, where Jackson won 148 out of 149 delegates, with the lone outlier uncommitted. > > In total, Jackson amassed 456 out of the 500 elected delegates over the weekend. So, total domination for Jackson. However, on the minus side: > As Jackson likely spends the next week trying to unite Democrats behind him and quickly scale up a Senate campaign with roughly 100 days until Election Day, one immediate concern is fundraising. Jackson raised the least money among the major candidates for governor this year. > > Republican groups backing Collins have already spent or reserved over $112 million in ads, while Democrats have reserved only half that amount, according to tracking service AdImpact. ---
**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 20, 2026, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-maine-senate-race-thread-moving-on-from-platner-so-dont-talk-about-platner/1031527/86 "2026-07-20T13:23:37Z")
On the other hand, this race is now nationally famous, while the Maine governor’s race was not. Expect a lot of donations from other states. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2026, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-maine-senate-race-thread-moving-on-from-platner-so-dont-talk-about-platner/1031527/87 "2026-07-20T13:48:45Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > 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. Barack Obama in 2008: “I believe that marriage is the union between a man and a woman. Now, for me as a Christian – for me – for me as a Christian, it is also a sacred union. God’s in the mix.” ---
**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 20, 2026, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-maine-senate-race-thread-moving-on-from-platner-so-dont-talk-about-platner/1031527/88 "2026-07-20T14:00:45Z")
I can buy the “That was a long time ago; I’ve changed” argument if, first, it was a long time ago, and second, the person has since provided evidence that they’ve changed. Platner failed both. Jackson passes both. ---
**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 20, 2026, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-maine-senate-race-thread-moving-on-from-platner-so-dont-talk-about-platner/1031527/89 "2026-07-20T14:16:36Z")
That’s a very fast and thorough consensus; leading me to think that Maine Democrats both really want to win this race, and think that Jackson’s the one who can do it. That degree of enthusiasm may well translate into enough votes, whatever the fundraising does; especially as I doubt there’s equal enthusiasm, at this point, for Collins. I hope, anyway. ---
**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 20, 2026, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-maine-senate-race-thread-moving-on-from-platner-so-dont-talk-about-platner/1031527/90 "2026-07-20T14:43:39Z")
I think it also indicates that he’s the intersection of what a lot of different constituencies want. He’s the candidate for folks who want a blue-collar guy, he’s the candidate for folks who want a lot of political experience, he’s the candidate for folks who want someone who takes action on liberal causes, and so on. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2026, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-maine-senate-race-thread-moving-on-from-platner-so-dont-talk-about-platner/1031527/91 "2026-07-20T16:24:28Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > On the other hand, this race is now nationally famous, while the Maine governor’s race was not. Expect a lot of donations from other states. Considering all the free publicity he’s gotten due the whole Platner situation, he doesn’t really need that much more money. ---
**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 20, 2026, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-maine-senate-race-thread-moving-on-from-platner-so-dont-talk-about-platner/1031527/92 "2026-07-20T17:00:31Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I think it also indicates that he’s the intersection of what a lot of different constituencies want. Good point. ---
**Author:** ![Calder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e99b99/32.png) [@Calder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Calder)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2026, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-maine-senate-race-thread-moving-on-from-platner-so-dont-talk-about-platner/1031527/93 "2026-07-20T17:33:39Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > That’s a very fast and thorough consensus; leading me to think that Maine Democrats both really want to win this race, and think that Jackson’s the one who can do it. That degree of enthusiasm may well translate into enough votes, whatever the fundraising does; especially as I doubt there’s equal enthusiasm, at this point, for Collins. > > I hope, anyway. I hope they’re right too — enthusiasm never hurts, and Jackson clearly has a lot of people excited about him. But the pattern looks to me less like a sudden statewide consensus and more like the kind of outcome you get when one candidate has a built‑in organizing machine and the others don’t. Jackson was the only candidate in the field with a serious union‑labor background, and that matters in a setup like this. Union organizers are excellent at packing small government meetings, showing up for county‑level votes, and getting themselves elected as delegates on short notice. The emergency convention process rewarded exactly that kind of structure. That’s how he ended up sweeping entire counties. So I do hope the enthusiasm translates into general‑election strength, but the delegate results look more like the product of an existing organizing network than a broad ideological shift. ---
**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 20, 2026, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-maine-senate-race-thread-moving-on-from-platner-so-dont-talk-about-platner/1031527/94 "2026-07-20T17:41:31Z")
But those same organizational skills are also useful for winning elections. ---
**Author:** ![Calder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e99b99/32.png) [@Calder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Calder)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2026, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-maine-senate-race-thread-moving-on-from-platner-so-dont-talk-about-platner/1031527/95 "2026-07-20T18:02:49Z")
No question. And I hope my earlier post wasn’t taken as a putdown of Jackson — that wasn’t my intent at all. I was just trying to explain why his win was so dominant. The ability to put 100+ people in every county on very short notice is something labor unions are exceptionally good at. In half the counties, Jackson won all the delegates or all but one. You don’t get that kind of landslide without some structural advantages. And I don’t think there’s anything wrong with having an advantage here. With the vote happening on such short notice, there were always going to be compromises, and unions are a key Democratic constituency. In a process that rewards fast, coordinated mobilization, it makes sense that the one candidate with a union‑organizing background would come in with a stronger base. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2026, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-maine-senate-race-thread-moving-on-from-platner-so-dont-talk-about-platner/1031527/96 "2026-07-20T18:14:41Z")
> [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > Barack Obama in 2008: “I believe that marriage is the union between a man and a woman. Now, for me as a Christian – for me – for me as a Christian, it is also a sacred union. God’s in the mix.” You know, I wasnt saying his change was weird, read my post again [quote=“DrDeth, post:74, topic:1031527”] **For those worried that Platner was a sneak Republican, and would change parties** , Jacksons past is really something to worry about. [/quote] (bolding mine) Sop _If you are not one of those conspiracy theorists who thought Platner was a secret Republican and was gonna change parties_- then there is nothing to worry about. This next is paywalled, maybe someone can l do a gift link? [https://www.politico.com/news/2026/07/20/troy-jackson-cruised-to-victory-in-maine-but-graham-platner-still-looms-large-with-voters-01004705](https://www.politico.com/news/2026/07/20/troy-jackson-cruised-to-victory-in-maine-but-graham-platner-still-looms-large-with-voters-01004705) > # **‘Not the slick choice’: Maine Dems sweat Troy Jackson despite dominant victory** > > **The progressive logger and former state legislator dominated Maine’s last-minute delegate conventions. But some voters were left unsatisfied with the process — and the presumptive nominee.** ---
**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 20, 2026, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-maine-senate-race-thread-moving-on-from-platner-so-dont-talk-about-platner/1031527/97 "2026-07-20T20:17:09Z")
That article reads to me like whoever wrote it wants, for whatever reason, to put Jackson down. They pick out, for instance, a case in which he spoke to “a few dozen” people in a parking lot. I’m sure he’s addressed larger crowds. That said: yes, if he’s not a great speaker, that’s a disadvantage. To what extent Maine voters, right now, want a “slick” speaker is a question. And is Collins a great speaker? Or does she just have a long history, some of which can now be used against her; because, when it matters, she’s been voting to support Trump’s damage? We’ll find out, in November. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2026, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-maine-senate-race-thread-moving-on-from-platner-so-dont-talk-about-platner/1031527/98 "2026-07-20T20:19:03Z")
From what I recall, Collins is an OK speaker. Nothing great, but not a negative. ---
**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2026, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-maine-senate-race-thread-moving-on-from-platner-so-dont-talk-about-platner/1031527/99 "2026-07-20T20:24:18Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > Whoever has the best chance of winning the general election should run. Whoever that is, I have no idea. It would never happen, but I like the idea of drafting Stephen King. ---
**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 20, 2026, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-maine-senate-race-thread-moving-on-from-platner-so-dont-talk-about-platner/1031527/100 "2026-07-20T20:26:34Z")
Why? Just because he’s a resident of Maine? Lots of others have that qualification, too. Because he’s a good writer? And that means what, exactly, for his political policies, or his ability to implement those policies? I’ll say it again: Senator is not an entry-level position. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-maine-senate-race-thread-moving-on-from-platner-so-dont-talk-about-platner/1031527.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-maine-senate-race-thread-moving-on-from-platner-so-dont-talk-about-platner/1031527.md?page=6)