If the rumors are true, who’s going to quash them? You can’t have a Democrat running and a write-in insurgency from the guy you booted because of a credible rape allegation that imploded his campaign.
Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) must be enjoying herself, as her reelection chances have increased dramatically, thanks to Democrats being outright terrible at vetting their candidates. Sure, the far left thinks voters want authentic people, flaws and all, and to an extent, that’s true; voters will tolerate more character issues, but rape isn’t one of them. That’s what killed Graham Platner’s campaign. It wasn’t his graphic social media history, his Nazi tattoo, past allegations of domestic abuse, or his involvement with an app that’s a haven for pedophiles — it was a credible rape allegation made by Jenny Racicot, a liberal Democrat, no less.
Now, we have Troy Jackson, who ran for governor and lost in the primary, being anointed the new guy. As Amy pointed out this week, some are suggesting that voters write in Platner. And there are rumors that the former Democrat Senate candidate has endorsed this plan:
#MaineSenate
— Politics & Poll Tracker 📡 (@PollTracker2024) August 25, 2026
Graham Platner supporters in a Facebook group claim to be in contact with Platner.
The group says Graham Platner has endorsed the idea of a write-in campaign where his supporters would write-in Platner’s name first and Troy Jackson’s second. pic.twitter.com/d5p6EOcA2G
We’ll see if that rumor is true. For now, Jackson seems to be lukewarm about being the new Senate candidate, admitting that he wished nothing would’ve happened to Graham since he wanted to be a governor, but felt compelled to do something to carry the mantle for progressivism. He also echoed sentiments from 2016 Bernie Sanders supporters who felt the process was rigged by the establishment (via Midcoast Villager):
Jackson said he never expected or even really wanted to run for the U.S. Senate — he instead ran for governor this year and finished third in the Democratic primary — but told supporters in Belfast that he felt it was important to carry forward the progressive movement Platner helped galvanize, even as Republicans run ads attacking Jackson for his association with Platner.
“I wish nothing would have happened with Graham,” Jackson said in Belfast on Aug. 22. “I wish, you know, things would have continued like all that. It would have been much better. But when it did, I just didn't want to see all these people that are looking for somebody to fight for them go away once again broken and hopeless.”
Jackson compared the moment to the aftermath of Bernie Sanders' unsuccessful 2016 presidential campaign, which Jackson worked on, saying many Sanders supporters believed the process had been unfair and subsequently left the movement.
There’s also the peculiar, though not illegal, detail that he has a relationship with his second cousin, which, after Platner’s Nazi tattoo and other proclivities, has some wondering why there aren’t any normal Democrats in Maine.
Write-in drama and a candidate who doesn’t really want this elected office — what a mess.
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