Troy Jackson, a former state legislator, moved into a strong position to replace Graham Platner as the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Maine after several of his opponents dropped out Sunday.The quick change in the landscape of the race came on a weekend when party committees across the state began choosing delegates for a nominating convention that will meet July 25 to select a new candidate to face Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins in November.Between Saturday and Sunday. Troy Jackson’s campaign touted they had secured hundreds of delegates who had promised to back him at the convention, including all of their preferred delegates for Maine’s most populous county, Cumberland.His strength caused an exodus.Maine’s Secretary of State, Shenna Bellows, withdrew Sunday morning, saying Democrats didn’t have “a day to waste in unifying” around the goal of defeating Collins.Nirav Shah, former director of Maine’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention, dropped out and endorsed Jackson in the early evening. He was quickly followed by Dan Kleban, the co-founder of Maine Beer Company, and Jordan Wood, both of whom also endorsed Jackson.
With all of his most formidable opponents out, Jackson looked tough to beat at next weekend’s convention.
