Troy Jackson enters Maine Senate race with under 100 days left
Why it matters: The contest against Susan Collins is one of a few races that could help decide control of the Senate.
Maine Democrats have replaced their U.S. Senate nominee with Troy Jackson, giving the former state Senate president less than 100 days to take on Republican incumbent Susan Collins in one of the country’s most closely watched races. Jackson emerged after the party’s original nominee, Graham Platner, suspended his campaign this month following a rape accusation from a woman he once dated. Platner has denied the allegation. Jackson has tried to reassure progressives who were energized by Platner’s anti-establishment message, backing issues such as Medicare for All, stronger unions and workers’ rights. He has also stressed his rural roots as a fifth-generation logger from northern Maine.