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On the Ballot: Maine Democrats breathe sigh of relief despite steep obstacles ahead of Jackson

The Hill · back to the audit
On the Ballot: Maine Democrats breathe sigh of relief despite steep obstacles ahead of Jackson. Democrats in Maine are breathing a sigh of relief after avoiding a divisive battle to replace Graham Platner as their Senate nominee, but the party biggest test lies ahead as it seeks to unseat five-term Sen. Susan Collins. Former state Senate President Troy Jackson won an overwhelming majority of delegate slots, prompting his major opponents to drop out and call for the party to unite behind Jackson. He now all but guaranteed to win the formal nod at the party nominating convention Saturday, and former Maine Democratic Party Chair Bev Uhlenhake told The Hill that the overall mood in the party is relief that Democrats can move forward. Defeating the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee chair will be no easy feat for Democrats. Jackson is a familiar face in the state who has undergone some degree of vetting. Reports of Jackson having a fiery temper and being difficult to work with during his tenure in the state Senate have surfaced. Campaign adviser BJ McCollister said: Troy regrets the moments when disagreements became too heated but passion for the issues he advocates for should not be confused with physical intimidation or bullying. A Cook Political Report analysis showed Jackson outperformed former President Biden in his state Senate district in 2020 by roughly 15 percentage points. Decision Desk HQ Geoffrey Skelley said: There are clear vulnerabilities for her. At the same time, she obviously been a long-time force in politics, and it's a coin flip race. Former Maine Democratic Party Chair Bev Uhlenhake told The Hill that the overall mood in the party is "relief." Decision Desk HQ's Geoffrey Skelley said: "it's a coin flip race." Troy regrets the moments when disagreements became too heated… but passion for the issues he advocates for should not be confused with physical intimidation or bullying.