As Democratic leaders withdraw their support from Graham Platner, former Maine state Senate President Troy Jackson has filed to potentially replace the U.S. Senate hopeful if he drops out.
Earlier this week, one of Platner's former girlfriends accused him of sexually assaulting her in 2021. Platner has denied the allegations, calling them "troubling, serious and false" in a statement to NPR. The Maine Democratic Party, along with prominent politicians, including Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, called on Platner to withdraw from the race.
Jackson, a former state senator and former gubernatorial candidate, told Morning Edition he believes Platner will drop out.
"Graham was talking about the movement, you know — building something that lasted past him," Jackson said. "And so I do think that he'll step down because it is bigger than him.
He added that Platner would be "incredibly self-serving" if he didn't end his campaign, and didn't believe that Platner could beat incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins.
"He's just not going to win, and he's going to leave us with another six years of income tax cuts for billionaires and no health insurance," Jackson said.
A logger from northern Maine, Jackson has served two decades as a state lawmaker and has recently picked up support from Our Revolution, a group founded by Sen. Sanders, who is an independent. Jackson said that the messaging from Platner's campaign, which focused on issues like Medicare for all and workers' rights, aligns with his own values. If he replaces Platner on the ballot, Jackson said it would be an "easy transition" to "continue fighting for those things."
In conversation with Morning Edition host A Martínez, Jackson discussed why Platner has become a moral litmus test for Democrats, how he would avoid the same blowback that former Vice President Kamala Harris faced when she replaced former President Joe Biden and what he has to say to moderate Democrats who worry he is too far left.
Listen to the full interview by clicking on the blue button above.
This interview was produced by Milton Guevara and Kaity Kline and edited by Ally Schweitzer. The digital version was edited by Treye Green.
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