Maine Senate hopeful Troy Jackson is seeking to downplay his ties to the far left, rejecting the socialist moniker despite previously receiving the backing of radical streamer Hasan Piker and the Maine chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America. “I don’t really consider myself anything. I’m upset a lot at the Democratic Party. What I know is I fight for working-class people,” Jackson told CNN’s Manu Raju when asked if he sees himself as a socialist. Jackson quickly emerged as the grassroots’ favorite pick to replace scandal-scarred oyster farmer Graham Platner, who dropped his bid after facing a rape accusation that he denied.
Lefty activists surmised that Jackson, who led the Maine Senate from 2018 through 2024, had similar views to those of Graham, with whom he campaigned repeatedly. “[I]f the dem establishment think [sic] that they can risk the senate majority by not replacing platner with an acceptable substitute – we will be risking a loss to susan collins,” Piker declared on X during the frenzy to replace Platner. “[T]roy jackson is him!”
