Former Vice President Kamala Harris endorsed Maine’s Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Troy Jackson on Monday, two days after state party delegates held a special nominating convention to select him as their nominee. Jackson replaced Graham Platner, who won the June primary but withdrew from the race following sexual assault accusations that Platner has denied.
Jackson, a fifth-generation logger and former president of the Maine Senate, initially sought the Democratic gubernatorial nomination this year before pivoting to the Senate race. He will face longtime Republican Senator Susan Collins in a contest Democrats consider critical for potential Senate control. In a fundraising email, Harris drew parallels between Jackson’s abbreviated campaign timeline and her own path to the 2024 presidential nomination, noting Jackson has approximately 101 days between his selection and Election Day. Harris called on Democrats to rally behind his candidacy.
Democrats view a Maine victory as essential to gaining Senate control, alongside winning three additional Republican-held seats while retaining all their current seats. Jackson’s campaign stated it is working to overcome a significant fundraising disadvantage against Collins, who has raised over $16 million. Since securing the nomination, Jackson has raised $2 million, according to his campaign.
Republican officials responded to Harris’ endorsement with criticism. Blake Kernen, a spokesperson for Collins, highlighted that neither Harris nor Jackson won a party primary before becoming their respective nominees, characterizing the endorsement as reflective of their parallel circumstances. The campaign statement from Jackson’s team characterized him as “harnessing historic energy across the state” to deliver change following Collins’ three-decade tenure in Washington.
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