Several Democratic candidates in Maine are rapidly assembling minimal campaigns, opting to bypass traditional outreach methods, such as television advertising. Instead, they are focusing on appealing to party delegates rather than the general voter base in Maine.
In the wake of Graham Platner’s withdrawal from the Senate race last week following a rape allegation, a number of Democrats are competing to become the new nominee. Platner won the midterm primary prior to his exit.
Troy Jackson, a logger and former state lawmaker, is among those entering the race unexpectedly. On Monday, he found himself at the intersection of a Senate race he had not planned for and a local controversy. A federal immigration agent fatally shot a young Colombian man in Biddeford, a blue-collar town outside Portland, earlier that day. Jackson aimed to harness the Democratic outrage over this incident to criticize Senator Susan Collins, a veteran Republican he hopes to challenge, for her continued support of funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
“Let’s tighten that up,” said Eric LeBrun, a videographer for Jackson’s campaign, coaching him on how to refine his message. “This is the big time now.”
Troy Jackson and several other Democrats are stepping into the limelight as they vy for the party’s nomination. The selection will take place at a party convention in Bangor on July 25, rather than through the primary electorate. This event will be decided by 601 delegates.
Demonstrations occurred in downtown Portland Tuesday, as protestors marched towards Senator Susan Collins’s office, who Democrats are eager to unseat in the upcoming November election.
Leave a Reply